New Homes Everywhere

Government targets for new homes are being pushed through the Regional Assembly and forcing Bournemouth to ignore what local people want for their communities. The amount of new development currently being allowed by Bournemouth Council is even higher than the targets and is adding to urban cramming at the rate of over 1,000 new homes a year. With so little investment in Bournemouth's infrastructure and no extra funds available anyway, many residents are very worried about the ever increasing pressure on our roads, transport, sewerage and utility systems.

The pace of development is very strong in Bournemouth as developers see the town as an easy touch for pushing for ever higher densities of housing on every available plot of land. The town is being targeted by developers who realise their plans are unlikely to be turned down by the Council for fear of the cost of losing at appeal. Conservatives are calling on the Council to create a reserve fund from part of the windfall gain from the sale of Yellow Buses to help call a halt to the changing character of Bournemouth. Such a fund would effectively insure the Council against the cost of planning decisions being overturned at appeal and strengthen the resolve of the Council in being far more critical of the inappropriate overdevelopment of much of our town.