SWRDA Ignores Local Protest in Dorset

south west | community | news report Wednesday May 21, 2008 08:44 by SWRDAwatch

1500 Sign to Say No, but SWRDA says Yes

In dear'ol Dorset SWRDA (South West Regional Development Agency) are getting into a spot of bother. They want to release some land for housing, but the locals want to keep is green and open space. Guess who will win?

So here is where our story starts - the good people of who have a big green open space and want to keep it that way and with the Major and local elected councilors on thier side, you'd think they would be listened too...

"HUNDREDS of people turned out to try to save Officers Field on Portland from being developed. And a petition to the South West Regional Development Agency to think again about their plans to build more than 50 homes on the former HMS Osprey site now has more than 1,500 signatures.

Councillors, local groups and other organisations have been fighting to retain the field -the only large, flat green space in Underhill - for the community. The strength of feeling was shown yesterday when hundreds turned out for mayor Tim Munro's day of action - despite strong winds and heavy rain."

http://www.thisisdorset.net/display.var.2247203.0.we_wa...y.php

But, sadly no - SWRDA, in their wisdom from on high say it is time to build, however the locals can use what is left.. Head of regeneration for theSWRDA, Bruce Voss said, "We have development proposals from a range of house builders and are pleased that a number of them want to build to a high environmental standard. The next step for us would be to work with the community in terms of making sure the open space that's left is useable."
http://www.thisisdorset.net/display.var.2279973.0.setba...n.php

Now what is interesting is SWDRA's Brucie is pushing the 'affordable homes' card in the PR push for the development - a glance at a couple of their schemes put the percentage at 25% or 30% of affordable - if it is such a priority why not insist on a higher amount? Say 90% or 100% (SWRDA are also unclear in what they mean by it, as late as January 2006 they noted, "There was general concern about the lack of clear definition of the terms 'affordable housing' and 'social housing'.") There is also a lack of good progress in this area in general - take the Bath Western Riverside Development - they called protests to try and get a decent level of affordable housing.

We will watch the space with interest....