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Bridport Climate Emergency

Bridport Town Council are considering declaring a climate emergency according to a Bridport News Article. The town council pledge to become carbon neutral by 2030.

This is a very laudable aim and as the Town Council say it will require Central Government and County Council support. But when you consider that over 20% of new houses sold on West Dorset are second homes or holiday lets how an earth can the destructive Vearse Farm major urbanisation of Bridport (imposed by Dorset Council and opposed by Bridport town Council) help achieve the town’s carbon neutral goal. After all second and holiday homes have to be heated in Winter even when unoccupied! What is needed is genuinely affordable houses for local people.

We have 24 days left to fund the Judicial Review and try and stop Vearse Farm urbanisation. Please help by going to our Crowdfunder appeal or donating directly (see our donations page). https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/save-west-dorset-aonb


https://www.bridportnews.co.uk/news/17642611.bridport-could-declare-climate-emergency-today/

Comments, comments….

Below are just a sample of the comments left on Crowdfunder by our supporters. Thanks you so much for your pledges and support!

All the comments are heartfelt and explain exactly why the massive Vearse Farm urbanisation will be a disaster for Bridport and the AONB land countrywide!

“Bridport is unique”

“Let’s hope we can stop this monstrous carbuncle of a development”

“Advearse have already pointed out that there are plenty of brownfield sites in the area that could be developed in preference to despoiling this AONB, and this should be taken on board by the planning authorities.”

“Unspoilt beauty. AONB…..what is the point of the status when such a large building plan can go ahead.”

“Too many expensive houses and second homes when we should be building affordable houses. Dorset is under threat from developers.”

“I know more housing is needed, but this development is unacceptable by any standards. At a time when the environment is at the forefront of the news, it is frankly outrageous.”

“We need to protect our countryside from irresponsible planners. Remember Rampisham.”

“This is a prime example of why Dorset needs National Park status!”

“This sort of over development must be stopped!”

“Not NIMBYism, I would support brownfield site development in the area, but this is a truly beautiful area”

Important to respect the quality and character of all of Dorset’s countryside and communities by promoting appropriate development where this is needed, including making use of brownfield land first.

“Affordable housing for local people is essential but this development will not provide that. It has the potential to ruin our beautiful countryside and the charm of the town itself. The roads surrounding Bridport are already full to capacity in the summer months. It does not feel like a positive development for Bridport.”

“It is so important that the AONB should not be breached for the benefit of developers.”

“Support this case to stop massive luxury housing estates on AONB land that rural people can’t afford. We want houses for local need not developer greed.”

“Lets save Bridport and the AONB everywhere!”

We’ll put more comments up soon…..maybe even the ones that say what people really think of our County Council planning department!!

Fundraising Update!

With the response to the Crowdfunder appeal and continuing direct donations received there remains just over £12,300 to raise in the next 4 weeks to fund the Judicial Review.

The JR is the last chance to stop this massive and destructive development ruining Bridport! Also if we are successful it will help to discourage other major developments on AONB land in Dorset and the rest of England.

We continue with the leafleting campaign in Bridport and the local area and are active on social media. We are sending press releases to local and national media. We will also be putting up further posters and arranging a protest march to increase awareness.

As the time left is short we need all the help we can get to raise the remaining money. So please donate (see our donations page) or pledge via Crowdfunder (https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/save-west-dorset-aonb). Encourage your neighbours, friends and family to do the same!

Also if you have any suggestions or ideas on how we can support the fund raising then we would be delighted to hear them!

Thanks for your support!

Bridport News Article

Please find at the bottom of the page a link to the Bridport News article on the Judicial Review fundraising against the Vearse Farm development.

Dorset Council state the final outline planning approval for Vearse Farm has been confirmed following the signing of a Section 106 agreement. Also that the developers have been instructed to submit a phasing plan, to allow the development to proceed on a phased basis. It does not mention that this is a 10 year construction or that Dorset Council want to add another 170 houses to the development!

Interestingly there is no response to local residents plan for a Judicial Review against the development. It seems as far as Dorset Council and the developers are concerned there is no way for this massive and destructive development on AONB land to be stopped.

How fantastic it would be for us to prove them wrong! Please do what you can to support the fundraising campaign either with a direct contribution (see our donations page) or by going on to our Crowdfunder site
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/save-west-dorset-aonb

https://www.bridportnews.co.uk/news/17629609.advearse-determined-to-fight-vearse-farm-development-with-judicial-review/

DECISION NOTICE ISSUED!

D Day had arrived. The Decision Notice was issued by Dorset Council yesterday (2 May). This means we now have 6 weeks to raise the remaining £16,000 in order to fund our Judicial Review case.

Our lawyers are sending the Pre-Action Protocol (PAP) letter to Dorset Council and the developer to announce our challenge against the legality of the development. If we fail to raise the funds required then we will not be able to go ahead with the Judicial Review. The Council and the Developer will have won by default and be able to go ahead with the massive and destructive Vearse Farm urban extension.

We will be shortly launching our Crowdfunder Campaign with the aim of reaching a much broader range of concerned people. We will also be contacting the local and national press.

In the meantime donations can continue to be made as noted in our “How to donate page”.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT – WE AND BRIDPORT NOW NEED IT MORE THAN EVER!

CPRE Support for Advearse

To understand more about the CPRE support for Advearse against the massive and destruction Vearse Farm development we urge everyone to refer to the CPRE website (https://www.cpre.org.uk/) and its recent publications.

The CPRE give a devastating critique of flawed targets and the failings of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
Across the country and indeed across the political divide it is now understood that massive market led housing schemes like Vearse Farm will not address the priority housing needs. A return to local authority housing and smaller scale schemes by Community Land Trusts should be encouraged in areas where there is the greatest need.
Vearse Farm is typical of developments of the last 30 years which encircle many towns but have been largely taken up by incoming retirees and second homers. They do little for those local people in housing need who cannot afford the inflated house prices.

ADVEARSE continues to support housing development at a sustainable level in West Dorset which are in sympathy with the character of the area and provide genuine affordable housing for local people.

ADVEARSE PUBLIC MEETING

Thanks to the 50 local residents who packed the WI Hall in Bridport last Thursday (24th April) to discuss the latest situation regarding the Vearse Farm urban extension. The public meeting was hosted by Advearse the campaign group.

The guest speaker was Mr Richard Nicholls, Deputy Chair of West Dorset CPRE, who set out the vital importance of opposing this massive and destructive development in order to protect AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) land both in Bridport, but also across the whole of England.

With council plans to add another 170 houses to the Vearse Farm development it will, with 930 houses, be double the size of the previous largest build on AONB land. This would set a precedent that would make AONB land an easy target for developers.  

The audience were shocked to hear about the large number of brownfield sites available in Briport and the whole of Dorset that were being ignored by the local Council in favour of large scale green field developments fuelling easy profits for developers and house builders.

Sarah Carney made a strong plea for the young people of Bridport, in particular, who were being let down by this focus on satisfying developer greed and not housing need. The number of second homes in the Bridport area has been assessed as far higher than reported by the Council. These second homes remain empty for a large part of the year whilst young local people have no chance of affording even the Government’s “so called” affordable homes.

All of these failings result in the wrong houses being built in the wrong places for the wrong people.

Lewis Gerolemou detailed the many objections raised by local people including the massive increase in traffic congestion, lack of car parking, pressure on an already stretched medical centre and impact on wildlife and landscape.

Donations of over £500 resulted from the meeting in support of the Judicial Review challenge against the Vearse Farm urban extension. With CPRE support a total of £17,200 has been raised to date towards the £34,000 needed for the JR.

Barry Bates closed the meeting by calling upon all concerned people in Bridport and elsewhere to join us in our fight against a totally destructive, unnecessary and misguided development.

Boundary change; its effect on VF !

SYMONDSBURY PARISH COUNCIL

ANNUAL PARISH MEETING

SYMONDSBURY SCHOOL 7pm

TUESDAY 8TH MAY 2018

GUEST SPEAKER:

                                         JACQUI ANDREWS,                                         

from the Democratic and Electoral Services

The expected development at Vearse Farm has led to a Community Governance Review for Bridport. The outcome could result in changes to the Parish Boundary between Bridport and Symondsbury.

THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY THE PRESENTATION OF THE ANNUAL REPORT

ALL WELCOME. REFRESHMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED

Reply from the Secretary of State…….

Planning Casework Unit
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
5 St Philips Place
Colmore Row
Birmingham B3 2PW
Tel: 0303 44 48050
pcu@communities.gsi.gov.uk

Mr Freer
Chairman, ADVEARSE

Please ask for:
Michelle Peart
Tel: 0303 44 48042
Email: Michelle.peart@communities.gsi.gov.uk
Your ref:
Our ref: PCU/RTI/F1230/78282
Date: 22 January 2018

Dear Mr Freer
Town and Country Planning Act 1990
Outline application for the development of up to 760 dwellings, (35% affordable) 60 unit care home, 4 hectares of land for employment use, mixed use local centre, primary school, associated playing fields, areas of public open space and allotments –
Application Number: WD/D/17/000986
In my email of 3 January 2018 I promised to let you know the outcome on the above application.
The Government remains committed to giving more power to councils and communities to make their own decisions on planning issues, and believe that planning decisions should be made at the local level wherever possible. The call-in policy makes it clear that the power to call in a case will only be used very selectively.
The Secretary of State has decided, having had regard to this policy, not to call in this application. He is satisfied that the application should be determined at a local level.
I appreciate that this is not the preferred outcome for you and I understand that there will be great disappointment as a result. It is however, now for the Council to determine this application and a copy of our letter to the Council is attached for your information.

Yours sincerely
Michelle Peart
Planning Officer