Figures published today outline a requirement for 57,660 new homes within South East Dorset over the period to 2033. These figures are set out within the Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) update for the Bournemouth and Poole Housing Market Area (HMA) and cover the Local Authority areas of Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, East Dorset, North Dorset and Purbeck.
Collectively, the figures contained within the SHMA update signal a step-change in the rate of new housing growth within the sub-region, setting out a requirement to plan for the delivery of a further 16,350 homes above and beyond the levels of growth currently planned for through existing local plans.
Shaun Pettitt, Director of Chapman Lily Planning, commented that “whilst nationally we have started to see increases in the rates of construction of new housing, the overall number of new homes being delivered is still significantly below the Government’s target. Locally, these latest figures are welcomed in providing a clear mandate for local authorities within South East Dorset to review their current development plans to ensure that sufficient new sites are identified and brought forward to fully address the needs for new housing.”
Local plan reviews are currently under way in both Poole and Purbeck, with Christchurch and East Dorset having commenced the preparation of a Local Plan Part 2, and the North Dorset Local Plan currently at Examination. It remains to be seen whether the progress of these plan reviews will be affected by the recent announcements surrounding the proposed merger of Bournemouth, Christchurch, East Dorset and Poole and the creation of a single unitary authority.
Should you require further information about the SHMA, or need any help and support in respect of the promotion of land or premises for future development, then please contact us now and we would be pleased to discuss how we may be able to offer assistance to your project.