What has struck me from watching the planning hearing is the emphasis that was made on the fact that Highmoor Farm was allocated as part of the 2018 Poole Plan.

From my point of view, that this allocation could, from a planning perspective, outweigh the massively negative impacts of this application is, frankly, sickening.

I suppose i shouldn’t be surprised. This narrative has underpinned the applicant’s proposals from the very beginning. There is a lot of history to the relationship between TVT and the 2018 Local Plan, when it was written by TVT that Highmoor Farm represented one of the greatest development opportunities in the borough. They exploited this allocation process to tie in this land for development.

I believe that our planning system is weakened because of this requirement to adhere to the land allocations of Local Plans which may be several years out of date. It removes the focus from the balance of benefits v evils of applications, to the fact that the future of the land has already been set in stone. It forms a backdrop for a decision which should only be assessed on its own, real-time merit. And things change over five years.

In this case, the first draft of the new Plan is imminent. If it is known that a new Local Plan is likely to have different, potentially more enlightened priorities, it shouldn’t then be the case that the older one can be used as part of the reasoning to grant planning permission. To work like this is out of touch and invites exploitation of the planning rules to try to get permission for applications that are damaging and unsuitable, before the new Plan comes into force. 

In this case, it has been mentioned in the planning report that the land is likely to be allocated in the next Plan, which isn’t necessarily true. This has the potential to lend weight to the argument (by some) that this application should be approved, in light of an appeal. If this system changed then this, rightly, wouldn’t be allowed. In my opinion land allocation should be scrapped altogether, it is abhorrent.

And the planning system is unjust. If we had lost, we would not be able to appeal. But if the applicant loses, they ARE allowed to appeal. So where’s the justice? 

And who knew that this land was allocated? Who knew about the original HSA planning proposal, who hadn’t seen the A4 planning notices with tiny writing around the entrance to the Heath and Farm? Apparently letters were sent - I didn’t get one, and I live five minutes away. This is not the way it should work. Communities should decide. 

The issue of other possible sites for this development were discussed in the hearing. My impression is that TVT and their client were relying on this piece of allocated land for this development to the extent that they didn’t properly consider any other site. 

Such blatant disregard for the ecological importance of Highmoor Farm, on its own and as the last piece of land saving Talbot Heath from being surrounded by development, further weakens TVT’s track record on looking after the green spaces in their care. It is surprising and massively disappointing that a healthcare organisation should choose to go down this route too. 

The outpouring of love for Highmoor Farm in the immediate aftermath of this decision was awe-inspiring. I feel even more blessed when I walk there now because it could so easily have been decided to develop part of it, and turn the rest into an HSA, barren of much of the wildlife it is home to now. This of course could still happen! I know there are many, many people who will be looking out for this and preparing, once again, to respond.

Thank you for your contribution to this process. I have no doubt that the petition has been extremely powerful in representing the majority response to this planning application and have an influence behind the scenes on this decision, even if it can’t be considered ‘material’ under our outdated planning processes.