Merley homes approved despite objections

The development, mainly of family homes, will now be subject to a further application which will finalise the details.

Up to 40 per cent of the homes will be ‘affordable’ although opponents say that many local people will not be able to afford to buy, or rent, on the site.

Read more: 'We want councillors to give 550-home plan on ex-green belt land a red card'

Opponents claim the extra homes will bring additional traffic problems to the area, especially on Oakley Lane, and will be detrimental to the setting of the two adjacent conservation areas and the grade 1 listed Canford School.

The Green Field site is ear-marked in the current Poole Local Plan for housing and is said to be a strategic site for achieving local housing targets.

Read more: 'They're taking the public for fools': Fresh objection over 600 property development

A move to reject the application, made by Cllr Steve Bartlett, was defeated by just one vote.

He told the BCP planning committee that the site was a “very special” location, one of the most beautiful places in the council area, and the effect of the new homes would be to spoilt the setting of Canford School and the Canford Magna area.

He said that despite plans for traffic calming measures and improving junctions the extra cars from the homes would cause additional queues and delays.

Three site access roads are proposed off Oakley Lane with some councillors and residents arguing that there should have been a link directly to the A31 to reduce the need to travel through smaller, local roads.

Read more: More than 350 objections BUT 550 homes on ex-green belt recommended for approval

The outline plans include a 62-bed care home, allotments, play areas and a large open space, popular with dog walkers, which would be protected from future development and become part of the linear Stour Valley Park, although some of the area floods in the winter.

Councillors heard that a substantial number of residents opposed the development with representatives making their case at the committee hearing. Opposition also came from the three ward councillors, each also speaking against the plans.

Several claimed planning committee members were being “steered” by officer reports to accept the ‘in principle’ application by highlighting the good points and downplaying the negatives – a claim which planning committee chair Cllr David Kelsey said was without foundation.

All of the council reports said that the application would create “less than substantial harm” to heritage assets in the area – a judgement which Cllr Bartlett claimed could only be subjective, arguing that in his opinion the development would cause substantial harm with the negatives outweighing the public benefits of new housing.

The 45-hectare site is on the northern edge of Poole to the north of the Merley housing estate and to the east of a housing scheme at Oakley. It is bounded on one side by the River Stour with most of the site currently used for grazing by Cruxton Farm and is split by the A31, a footpath and a former railway embankment.

Part of the site adjoins the Canford Magna Conservation Area which includes the grade 1 listed Canford School building and Canford Park.

Many of the objectors said that Historic England, while not objecting, had raised serious concerns about the impact on the setting of Canford School.

Criticism of the proposals made at the committee included a lack of firm plans for additional buses and whether or not they would go through the new development; a lack of a community hub, or even a shop; insufficient emphasis on renewable energy including ground source heating and fears that potential run-off from the scheme would get into the River Stour, although the committee was told that engineering measures would avoid that happening.

Planning committee chairman Cllr Kelsey said he welcomed the development which had been consulted on widely for three years with the developers making a series of changes in response to comments.

He said it would be an ideal opportunity to get up to 550 homes for families – including 220 affordable properties.

“It has been taken out of the Green Belt. It has been designated for building future homes… Sometimes I think we are a bit too pretentious about what we are and where we are putting things…

“I do get a bit miffed when I hear that this is an affluent area, well, how lucky are those affluent people to live in that area – but why should other people not have the opportunity to live in that area as well?” he said.

The developers will be expected to make a series of financial contributions as the scheme progresses, including £4.3m towards first and middle school expansion, £1.98million to improve local bus services, £356,000 to support off-site small businesses and other contributions towards local health facilities, refuse collection and recycling, to support heathland management and tree planting and towards the creation of a nature reserve and walking routes. Contributions of £180,000 are also being asked for improvements to local sports pitches and £210,000 for youth facilities off the site.

Illustration – Indicitive layout for the site