The plan, which guides development, sets out the ambition to build 186 new homes a year, totalling just under 3,000 until 2034 with larger sites allocated at Upton, Lytchett Matravers, Wool and Moreton Station/Redbridge which will provide 1,200 dwellings and 130 extra care units of the overall total. Most opponents have argued that the area, with large percentage of its land designated as special protection sites for its natural assets, should have very few new houses and none at all in some areas. Delivery of affordable homes w,ill be through a 20% financial contribution from minor sites (2-9 homes) with site of 10 or more homes having a target of 40% for greenfield applications and 30% on-site for brownfield applications.
The plan restricts the use of new homes as a main residence or holiday let for business purposes only in an attempt to reduce the number of properties being bought as second homes. Swanage councillor Gary Suttle (Con), who started work on the Plan with the former District Council, warned that not to approved would be the worst possible option, with future planning decisions reverting to the 2012 plan, leaving the area open to speculative developers. He told the Dorset Council July meeting that the new Plan would see fewer homes built across Purbeck than over the last five years.
“If you don’t adopt this there will be no defence document and we will revert to a Plan which will have no weight whatsoever...
this is the only way forward,” he said. Fellow.