West Parley under multiple threats

The biggest threat we face is clearly the 1000 or so high density houses in the green belt -see green belt fight for details. But there are other, damaging , threats to our environment and way of life.

The Waste Plant

The centrepiece of Dorset County Council's emerging strategy on waste disposal is a large expensive incinerator at Hurn Airport. They plan to do this with Government aid on a PFI project. A plus is that it would generate some electricity; a minus is that waste would have to be trucked in from all over Dorset, the Bournemouth/Poole conurbation, and possibly other counties.

The risk to Council Tax is very large. At a recent D.C.C. cabinet meeting it emerged that over a 30 year life they might, on a worst case, have to find some as much as £186 million extra. This is all likely to come out in public in the Autumn of 2009 and W.P.R.A. will be holding public meetings to inform and engage the public.

Gravel Plants

We already have 2 gravel plants adjacent to West Parley and they generate unwanted lorry traffic. Developers have propsed 3 more near to the airport, and Dorset County Council will be deciding on these later this year.

The lack of joined-up thinking

In all the reams of paperwork on the housing plans, the airport expansion, the waste plant and the gravel sites, the effect on the roads is always considered separately, if at all. W.P.R.A. has seen no Council documents that attempt to add the overall effect of these different plans. It is a point that we consistently try to bring to the attention of Councillors.

Traffic

The traffic in and through West Parley is now very heavy, and that is without the green belt houses, the waste plant, and the extra from a growing airport. Parley Cross is at maximum planned capacity now. It is routine at rush hours to see traffic at a halt all the way from Parley Cross to the Kinson roundabout, as well as all the way from Parley Cross to the Hurn Bridge.

No money is allocated in plans for any improvements in the next 10 years - and yet the authorities continue to plan large housing estates, a waste plant, more gravel plants, and an airport due for a fourfold expansion.

Paradoxically, it may well be the pressure on our roads that eventually stops some of these plans.

---

Bournemouth Airport

Our West Parley Survey showed that local people liked 'their' airport, and used it. But it also showed concern at the planned fourfold expansion in passengers over the next 10 years. As it is, the problem may well solve itself - no one will be able to get to the Airport anyway.