Garden village will 'overwhelm' community, says MP

Proposals for a 1,200-home garden village in Dorset will "overwhelm" the existing community, an MP and councillor have said.

Developers want to turn 56 hectares (138 acres) of green belt land between Bear Cross and Canford Magna into Canford Garden Village, which would include a school, surgery, shops, community centre and care home.

MP Vikki Slade and ward councillor Richard Burton said the area had already taken more than its share of new homes, with 1,600 already built or under construction.

Developers WH White and Estate Resources and Management said the plans addressed a "deep and well-publicised housing challenge" faced by Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP).

The outline planning application includes more than 16.5 hectares of "green infrastructure", including 7.4 hectares of publicly accessible open space.

Half of the homes would be classed as affordable and dedicated to first-time buyers, social rent and shared ownership schemes.

Slade, who is MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, said: "The site is in the green belt and provides an important buffer between Bearwood and Merley and a critical green lung between the suburban areas of Bournemouth and Poole.

"It is inconceivable that the community should be expected to take another 1,200 [homes], and the infrastructure including roads, sewerage, schools and medical services will be overwhelmed."

Burton, who is ward councillor for Merley and Bearwood, said: "This application concerns me greatly and I know it will anger many of my residents.

"We will do what we can to stop this application."

A spokesperson for WH White said: "The scheme is designed to help boost housing supply quickly and effectively, while addressing affordability through the delivery of 600 affordable homes and, crucially, putting a strong focus on family homes, directly responding to identified local family needs.

"While within the green belt, this designation reflects its geographical location rather than its functional role and a strong case exists for its reclassification as grey belt land."

Additional reporting by Ros Tappenden.