Planning and over-development

Sign our petition opposing over-development

Liberal Democrat Councillors are backing residents who are concerned about the threat from over-development by out-of-character flats.

The Council is using the limited powers it has to tackle this. Bournemouth Council turns down more applications and wins more planning appeals than most councils.

What the Council needs are more powers, but that means a change in the law by the Government.

Sign this petition to show your support (opens in a new window)

Lib Dem action in Bournemouth to protect the character of our town

• More planning applications turned down than most Councils, and more planning appeals by developers won by the Council.

• Revision of local planning rules under way.

• Winning the battle to protect Bournemouth's green belt, against national and regional planners.

• Making planning decisions more available and open: on-line planning applications and reports, and more big decisions made 'in the patch'.

• Action to protect back gardens from being lost.

• Change in local 'phone mast policy, to give better information and flexibility to respond to residents' concerns, within the limited remit set by central government.

Conservative record on planning

• Their national policy is to build on the green belt.

• Let the planning department fail, and have to go into 'special measures' when they were in charge.

• Claim repeatedly during the general election, and since, that the Council was allowing thousands of homes to be built, and then admit (the truth) in Parliament:

'Bournemouth council is now powerless to stop this and no longer allowed to make its own judgment as to the planning requirements needed for its area.' - Tobias Ellwood MP, (Hansard 16 Jun 2005, col 408)

The Lib Dems are campaigning for change

• Change in national rules to allow local residents and councils more power over local planning decisions

• Dedicated student accomodation, expecially in Lansdowne, to free up family homes.

• Improving our parks and open spaces for use by all.

• Better designed and mixed accomodation.

• Key worker homes.

• Higher environmental standards for new homes; not least because it means lower heating bills.

• Residents to be consulted on more conservation areas in the town.

Latest news

Sun 30th Jul 2006:

Lib Dems urge action on maintaining Bournemouth's character and protecting back gardens.

Liberal Democrat councillors have won cross-party Council backing for action to maintain Bournemouth's character when developments take place in the borough. The move was spearheaded by Councillor Andrew Garratt (Boscombe East) and Councillor Bill Brandwood (Queen's Park).

Sun 21st May 2006:

Lib Dem Councillor demands action on family homes.

Lib Dem councillor Roger West, responding to proposed new planning rules for housing, has written demanding changes from the Government to support families in Bournemouth.

Earlier Stories

Complete archive on the official site.