New sites considered as part of council homes plan
LDRSA Dorset council is lining up several new sites for development as part of its first-ever local plan.
BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole) Council said it needed to find space for 3,000 new homes a year because of government housing requirements.
It said an up-to-date plan was intended to help the authority manage growth and reduce the risk of unplanned development.
No decisions have been made on sites or locations and the council's cabinet will be asked to consider evidence, including sites put forward by developers.
Council leader Millie Earl said: "I want to be clear this is not us presenting the draft local plan, that will come later in the process," she said.
"This stage is about us presenting the evidence – including sites that have been proposed by developers as part of the call for evidence – which we propose to use to prepare the plan."
She was also critical of what she called the government's "one size fits all" housing targets, which did not take into account the region's coastal areas and highly protected heathlands.
"Ultimately, government has imposed the housing targets that we must meet," she said.
"There's no denying that they are extremely challenging for our area, but doing nothing is not an option.
"Without a new local plan, development pressure will not disappear, we would simply lose control over where it goes.
"It's vital that we protect the places that make our area special – that's our valuable natural habitats, green spaces, waterways and coastline."
The council's cabinet will be asked to consider the proposed document, titled Plan Content and Evidence Consultation, before consultation starts next month.
Consultation with residents, business and stakeholders is due to run from 29 October to 10 December.
It will give residents the opportunity to look at the options being considered and have their say before the plan is developed further, the council said.
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