It’s been a hectic few weeks here at Pure Town Planning and meanwhile there have been plenty of new developments in planning policy among the south’s Councils. So  I thought I’d do a quick round-up – why not take a scan through and  see if something catches your eye. Lets start with Dorset:

Purbeck District Council: Got to be top of the list – well done to Purbeck for getting the first district-wide plan adopted on 13 November. So what are the main changes? Firstly affordable housing: this will now be required on a net increase of 2 or more dwellings or sites of 0.05ha or more. In Swanage and the southeast half of the district the requirement will be 50%, in the northwest (including Wareham) it will be 40%. Then there are various sustainability hoops for larger developments (10+ dwellings or 100o sqm non-residential). But not yet Code for Sustainable Homes.

West Dorset and Weymouth and Portland: They have moved a step further forward on Community Infrastructure Levy by publishing their draft charging schedule for consultation (running until 20 December 2012). And there have been changes:

Residential:

Chickerell and Crossways parishes and Portland: £80

Rest of Weymouth: £93

Rest of West Dorset £100

(They have ditched the discount for holiday let restricted dwellings but will charge nothing for agricultural worker’s dwellings and similar.)

Everything else:

Absolutely nothing.

Christchurch and East Dorset: The other mixed-doubles team of the county is pressing ahead with their joint Core Strategy. They are currently consulting on a Schedule of Proposed Changes to the Core Strategy Pre-Submission’ document (until 21 December 2012). This is the last step before finally submitting the document for Examination by a Planning Inspector – the examination itself is likely to be next summer.

North Dorset: Wow! Progress at last. North Dorset District Council is currently consulting on “Key Issues” in relation to revising its new Local Plan (which was consulted on two and a half years ago). Considering it is only on “Key Issues” it is somewhat long and involved. And dare I say it rather tedious. Oh well, you have until 21 December to trawl through it and respond if you want to.

Borough of Poole: Nothing new to report other than we are all looking forward to a hectic month trying to get applications approved with Section 106 agreements signed before the introduction of the first CIL in the area in the new year.

Bournemouth Borough Council: Nothing new to report. The officers are getting to grips with the newly adopted Core Strategy – remember chaps the policy which applies to “more than 10 dwellings” doesn’t apply to a proposal for a block of 10 flats! It’s easy to forget we are still awaiting the Inspector’s report into the Town Centre Area Action Plan.

Dorset County Council: Do these guys still make planning policy? Well yes but largely only in relation to minerals and waste. And there is nothing new to report here. We are waiting for them to submit the new Minerals Core Strategy for Examination.

And that’s it – Dorset covered and up to date. You can wake up at the back – I’ve finished.