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COUNCILLORS MARGARET PHIPPS AND VANESSA RICKETTS
BCP COUNCIL UPDATE
Christchurch Harbour Pollution
Vanessa is currently leading on a campaign for a Christchurch Harbour Protection Policy.
Christchurch Harbour suffers from excess nutrients from both the protected River Avon, but mainly from the phosphates found in the River Stour which originate from the foul sewerage discharge of the four water treatment plants situated along its course through the BCP Council area. The primary objective at present is to get BCP to produce and adopt a Harbour Protection Policy, similar to the one that protects Poole Harbour, in order for the water companies to clean up their act and stop the excessive discharges into the rivers. Last year alone Wessex Water discharged effluent into the Stour 893 times, that’s an average of 2.4 times a day. We are seeing the reed beds of the harbour disappear at a rate of approx. 10m a year and we have evidence of diseased fish in the harbour which, when you consider the results of the recent DEFRA report showing excessive arsenic and mercury levels in the Avon and Stour, is really not surprising.
Vanessa has created a petition which is gathering momentum and needs to reach the required 2000 signatures before the deadline of 6th January 2025 in order for this to be debated at Council. We kindly ask all our residents to support the campaign by logging in and signing the online petition on BCP Council’s website:
Welcome to BCP Council | BCP
Community Governance Review
BCP is carrying out a Community Governance Review (CGR) of all existing parishes and unparished areas. You can comment on the stage one survey from 25th November through to 19th January 2025.
A Community Governance Review is a process which provides an opportunity to review, create and make changes to governance arrangements for town and parish councils and parish areas. Christchurch is already fully parished with 4 Parishes - being Christchurch Town, Highcliffe and Walkford, Hurn, and Burton and Winkton. There is only one other Parish within BCP which is Throop and Muscliffe. This is an opportunity for other areas within BCP to apply to form Parish Councils. This is the link to the survey:
https://haveyoursay.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/community-governance-review
Advertising Corner, The Grove/Barrack Road
We previously reported that planning permission was given by a Government Inspector, on appeal, for a Drive Through Takeaway on the Corner of The Grove and Barrack Road, despite huge public objection. There is now an application for some changes to the agreed Plans with a Variation to Condition 4 as agreed by the Inspector. The application No. is 8/24/0749/CONDR
You can log on to the BCP Planning Portal to view the application at:
https://planning.christchurchandeastdorset.gov.uk/searchresults.aspx
BCP Local Plan Update
We are sure you will be aware that the Government has published a new Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which imposes housing targets on every area across the country. The new target set for BCP is 2958 homes pa. Our Draft Local Plan which is currently under Examination, uses our evidenced Housing Needs Assessment for the BCP area, which averages a credible target of 1600 homes pa. The new figure is ridiculously high and almost double what we have ascertained is local need and achievable over a 15 year Plan period.
The new NPPF allows for transitional arrangements for Councils which have already submitted a Plan and are in the process of Examination, which is the case for BCP. Therefore, our current Plan will progress through the examination process as planned with the 1600pa housing figure. The timetable can be found here - Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Local Plan & CIL Examination Stage 1 Hearings commence on 21st January 2025.
However, having said that, BCP will still be expected to start work on a new plan using the new housing figures, as soon as the new provisions are brought into force in March 2025. The first step is likely to be a review of the Green Belt to identify which land might meet the criteria of the new category of “grey belt”.
As always, feel free to contact us on any issue.
We would both like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support and wish you a very Merry Christmas
and a Peaceful and Prosperous New Year
Cllr. Margaret Phipps – margaret.phipps@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
- Tel: 01202 478266
Cllr. Vanessa Ricketts – vanessa.ricketts@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
– Tel: 07760 391467
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