A NEW petition opposing major plans to build a new private hospital near heathland has attracted thousands of signatures within weeks of being created.

Opposition to the Nuffield Health and Talbot Village Trust proposals for the Highmoor Farm land in Poole has poured in.

As reported, an application for the 11,606 square metre hospital in Talbot Village on land between the town’s universities and Talbot Heath has been submitted with BCP Council.

The proposal is part of Talbot Village Trust’s ‘Innovation Quarter’ vision to deliver a development dedicated to the creative and digital industries.

Following initial reports on the hospital scheme at the start of the year, resident Kerry Batcock saw her petition against it attract more than 3,500 signatures.

She has now launched a new petition after the submission of the planning application.

It has already been signed by more than 2,900 people and she is hoping it can exceed the total from her previous campaign.

Ms Batcock told the Daily Echo she was surprised by how many people had already given their support to the petition.

“We are in a stronger position than we were last time and we have had more time to prepare because we knew they were going to submit the application,” she said.

“I think there are a lot of people who are a bit more aware about the situation and the numbers in the Preserve Talbot Heath Facebook group are increasingly daily.

“There is a better awareness of the context of the environmental damage and climate.

“Really we should be thinking should we be doing this or should we be trying to protect this space.

“Highmoor Farm is the last place where the wildlife corridors exist. The rest of the heath is surrounded by development.”

Ms Batcock's petition can be viewed online at change.org/p/save-highmoor-farm-poole-s-last-urban-farm-next-to-sensitive-talbot-heath-from-new-threat