800 Homes And Flats To Be Built

9 June 2010, 08:53 | Updated: 10 June 2010, 11:05

800 new homes and student flats are going to be allowed to be built on Talbot Heath in Poole.

Poolce councillors approved the plans for the site south of Wallisdown Road at a meeting on Wednesday.

Russell Rowe is from the Talbot Village Trust. He said: "One of the areas which had reverted to agriculture will now be put back into extended heathland and the other area which was small farm, that's the one that is going to go a mixed amount of houses including affordable ones.

"This application has been on the table for the last ten years now, so we would like to progress it fairly swiftly, but we are still very aware that the councillors who made the decision have put some more conditions in, that need to be implemented."

They say other positive elements include improved access for fire engines which will help to prevent the effect of previously devastating arson incidents as well as £2 million investment in transport infrastructure including traffic signals on Boundary Road Roundabout, a contribution towards the Wallisdown bus showcase corridor, subsidy of bus services into the site and the implementation of a green travel plan to encourage the use of public transport.

Around £1.1million will also be allocated for local schools. All these works will be paid for as part of the development and will not require public subsidy.

But campaigners against it say they will continue to fight the development and are going to contact the Secretary of State.

They are concerned that the heath will be affected, and it will cause traffic and parking problems.

Veronica Trevett lives nearby. She told HEART:

"It is a unique area because you have wet and dry heathland, a stream running through and meadows either side. We just feel if this development goes ahead it will open the gates for other things to happen, like roads being built across the heath.

"There is also not sufficient services and infrastructure in place to support such a development. Where will all these children attend school and which doctors surgeries should they use?"