National land promoter Richborough Estates has submitted a planning application for a major 113 acre housing site between Wimborne and Poole in Dorset.
An overarching vision could see up to 600 new homes created, with 40 per cent of them being affordable, as well as the provision of a 62 bed care home.
More than half of the site will be made up of retained and improved green space. The ecology-led plans include playgrounds and substantial amounts Public Open Space and Suitable Alternative Natural Green Space (SANG) as well as allotments, an Orchard and new pedestrian and cycle routes for use by the whole community.
New access points to the River Stour will also be created if the planning application is approved.
The site, dissected by the A31 and adjoining the River Stour, is close to the villages of Oakley and Merley with their established local centres that include educational, transport, retail and health facilities.
There are bus stop within close proximity of the site, while Wimborne town centre is within a half hour walk or ten minute cycle ride. Poole is five miles to the south and the centre of Bournemouth seven miles to the south-east.
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The careful, design-led approach to the site will see a range of housing types and sizes built, from one bed apartments to five bed detached homes. The high quality family housing proposed will complement the existing housing provision in and around the area and help Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council meet its housing targets.
Richborough Estates has worked hard with local stakeholders to bring the very best set of proposals forward for the land and the community. Part of this is ensuring the site helps meet the housing needs of local people, that being family housing for people of all ages and backgrounds.
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This includes optimising the site’s riverside characteristics, creating distinctive new spaces, and building a unique identity for the area. This will be aided by the series of new parks that will be created on the site, including New Oak Park, Two Oaks Park, Stags Head Oak Pocket Park, Stour Valley Park and Canford Magna Park, Cruxton Vale Park and Stour Glade.
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The parks will aid navigation through and beyond the site to adjoining towns and villages as well as providing new cycle, footpath and bridleways for recreational use.
The scheme is also set to make a variety of contributions through a Section 106 agreement to help fund improvements to local highways and parkland, schools, health services and public transport, as well as supporting recreational use at the local harbour.
Robert Mitchell, Senior Regional Manager (South Western Region) at Richborough Estates, said: “The submission of planning permission marks a huge milestone in the history of this development. It also marks the culmination of extensive stakeholder communication we have already carried out and pro-active engagement with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council.
“Ultimately, we believe this application could have a major and positive impact on the social, economic and environmental fabric of the area. It could not only provide new housing but also open up access to the river Stour which links the wider Stour Valley Initiative and a whole range of new parkland features throughout the site.
“We now look forward to the further engagement process with the local community and local authority that will follow our planning submission.”