Shaftesbury Civic Society responds to North Dorset District Council’s Local Plan revision
Following a lively session with Civic Society members and other guests, SCS has completed its response to the District Council’s questionnaire. At the meeting it was clear that local people care deeply about their community and its future direction.
In the survey, North Dorset Council asked whether their target of 366 homes built each year was acceptable. Whilst it was felt not appropriate to answer questions about specific numbers of houses as there was not enough information about the wishes of other the North Dorset towns, Shaftesbury residents made it clear that they felt that they had taken a sufficient share at this early stage of the plan’s life. People wanted time to assimilate properly the new residents to enable a sustainable and coherent community to be built.
Shaftesbury’s unique environment and landscape must be protected and this has been made quite clear in the Civic Society’s responses. As the jewel in the crown of North Dorset, attracting visitors both to the town and to the area, this little town embedded in woodland must be looked after and our slopes preserved to maintain the views both from the town outwards and form the AONB and National Trust lands inwards.
Of great concern was the future of the land designated as a corridor for the Shaftesbury by-pass. This must be preserved and every effort made to find a solution to the destructive pressure caused by HGVs on both the A350, B3081/ C13, the two roads running between Shaftesbury and Blandford. The heavy traffic along Christies Lane also divides the town into two parts and measures must be taken to influence not only Dorset County Council but Wiltshire and the Bath and North East Somerset authorities to continue to find a national solution for the problem of a trunk route between Poole and the M4.
Shaftesbury cares positively about its future and Shaftesbury Civic Society will endeavour to promote those views.
