A new campaign hoping to persuade Dorset Council to deliver a greener, more climate focused local plan has been launched.

Dorset Deserves Better includes 38 Dorset-based organisations coming together in a campaign alliance led by Dorset Climate Action Network (CAN) to press Dorset to re-think its local plan, which proposes 39,000 new homes.

In an open letter delivered to councillor Spencer Flower, leader of Dorset Council, the campaign alliance states that the draft local plan would:

• Do great harm to Dorset through adverse impact on its natural environment, landscape and historical character

• Fall short of meeting the needs of Dorset's population for the right houses in the right place at the right price

• Fail to face up to the global challenges of climate change and reversing the loss of wildlife

The campaign alliance states that many respondents opposed the local plan, saying, "91 per cent of those represented in the public consultation rejected the development strategy at the heart of the plan". The alliance suggests ways to "transform the local plan into a visionary programme that enriches the county and serves the people of Dorset - especially the young an those most in need".

Michael Dower, of Dorset CAN, said: "We sincerely hope to persuade Dorset Council to deliver an optimistic and forward-looking local plan that values our landscape, supports environmental regeneration, provides affordable housing for local families, reduces our carbon footprint and encourages a thriving green economy in Dorset.

"We believe this can be done within the existing regulations and without wholesale destruction of our green spaces. We hope to work with Dorset Council to achieve this."

The letter sent to Cllr Spencer Flower from the campaign alliance

We are writing on the behalf of a group of 38 organisations representing more than 20,000 citizens of Dorset to urge your council to re-think the draft Dorset Local Plan.

We recognise the high importance of a local plan as the basis for delivering development which meets the needs of current and future generations. We acknowledge the great effort that has gone into preparing the draft local plan and the public consultation. We also commend your council's admirable drive towards net zero carbon emissions and strengthening of wildlife through the Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy, and your success in securing government funding to reduce your council's own carbon footprint and to launch action more widely in the county.

However, we note that many respondents are opposed to the local plan. Strong reservations were also expressed by public bodies, notably Historic England and Natural England. 91 per cent of those represented in the public consultation rejected the development strategy at the heart of the plan. Instead, we suggest ways to transform the local plan into a visionary programme that enriches the county and serves the people of Dorset – especially the young and those most in need.

We believe that the draft local plan:

• Would do great harm to Dorset, through adverse impact on its natural environment, landscape and historical character

• Falls short of meeting the needs of Dorset's population by providing the right houses in the right place at the right price

• Fails to face up to the global challenges of climate change and reversing the loss of wildlife.

Specifically, we contend that the draft local plan:

• Is incompatible with the Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy, and the scale and pattern of development proposed in the local plan will gravely undermine the pursuit of that strategy

• Greatly overstates the number of new dwellings that should be built in the county between now and 2038, while failing to provide for the genuinely affordable homes which Dorset needs

• Proposes excessive and unjustified intrusion on the green belt, the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and other locally valued greenfield land, all of which are (to varying degrees) protected in the National Planning Policy Framework

• Will seriously damage the landscape, heritage and wildlife of the county, as shown by your council's own sustainability analysis

• Contravenes your council's drive towards net zero carbon emissions and reversal of the loss of wildlife, because the proposals in the plan would greatly increase the impact of built development and transport and the pressure on all forms of infrastructure.

For all these reasons, we believe there is a strong case to radically re-think the draft local plan and the development strategy which underlies it. We remind the council that they have until April 2024 before the new local plan needs to be adopted; and that they can prevent uncontrolled development by ensuring a five-year housing supply separately from the new local plan.

The Annex to this letter sets out in more detail why we disagree with the current draft local plan and the changes that we would like to see made to it.

We are ready to work with Dorset Council to explore how these ideas can be reflected in the Dorset Local Plan and the Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy. The press and local voters are likely to respond positively to the preservation of the county's natural assets, opportunities for affordable housing, reduced energy bills and increased job opportunities in the green sector. We ask for the opportunity to meet you and the portfolio holders for planning and the climate strategy so that we may discuss how this can be achieved. We look forward to hearing from you.

This open letter is copied to all Dorset councillors; chief executive Dorset Council; Dorset Council planning department; all town and parish councils; and all partners in the Campaign Alliance. We are also sending a press release to all press and TV networks.

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