I joined so many of the community in and around Blandford welcoming the decision by the Planning Inspectorate to refuse permission for the development at Deer Park Farm for 40 caravans – notionally for Ukrainian refugees but actually the most poorly disguised Trojan Horse for future housing development. This is an important site and I am delighted that it will remain undeveloped.
Having written the above I am reminded of the prayer of St Augustine “Lord, make me pure but not yet.” It is always tempting to say that we ‘welcome housing development but not in my town, village etc but I do know of a lovely development site 20 miles away.’ I am no NIMBY and North Dorset has been absorbing a considerable amount of development in recent years. It is good news that Dorset Council has a 5 year land supply; while in Government we have removed arbitrary housing targets. This will give local communities more say over what goes where.
The merits of homeownership are obvious. It allows one to sink deep community taproots and a sense of belonging; it is a tangible manifestation of the beneficial product of the work ethic; it helps provide stability in relationships and the raising of family and it creates an accruing financial reservoir from which one’s own needs can be met and/or provide the helping hand to the next generation.
The challenges of development in are often location, scale in proportion to the existing settlement and impact on access to vital public and infrastructure services for the existing population. Design and density also are important factors. The reputation of developers and development is also enhanced when they stick to their promises regarding investment in infrastructure and the provision of affordable housing via Section106 Agreements. Resiling from these disappoint existing communities leaving them feeling cheated and taken for a ride. The solution to that sits solely with the developer.
We also need to understand the moral, as well the economic case, for providing new homes. The question ‘I have a house why do we need new housing here’ cannot be seen as being rhetorical. If we want stable communities, and for local families to be able to raise the next generation near to where they were brought up and where the supportive nexus of family and friends exist, then new housing is needed. If we want ‘Dorset plc’ to flourish, then we need new housing to accommodate the workforce, not just in the private sector but for the wider public sector. If we want to house people across the age and wage spectrum then we need new housing across a range of type, price, purchasing, tenure and rental options. There is obvious benefit in doing so.
I am passionate about social mobility and the desirability of the next generation having more opportunities than our own. I see it as part of our social contract. So let us make the case for the right housing in the right places. It is the right, and as argued above, only thing to do.
