| The Char Valley Village Communities Action Plans 2003 |
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for Whitchurch Canonicorum, Wootton Fitzpaine and Stanton St. Gabriel Parishes |
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| Action Plans for Issues affecting all Three Parishes |
| 1. Provision of Social Housing Our survey indicated a strong desire for a mixed community. This requires all age ranges and working opportunities to be present. This is a low-wage area with exceptionally high house prices, so if we are to retain a working community some social housing (rented or shared equity) will be necessary in our villages. From comments made to the survey it can be seen that concern was expressed that if this is not permitted, properties will eventually be owned and occupied only by retired people, those with second-homes, or people coming in from outside the area, and the original village families will suffer. For this to succeed, Local Plan policies have to reflect that our settlements, although loose-knit in character, actually are living, working communities that wish to prosper. The lack of more than basic local facilities does not unduly hamper those who choose to live in rural communities, most of whom are looking for quality of life or family and countryside connections rather than town facilities. We are anxious to see that youngsters working locally should be not be forced out of the communities in which several generations of their families have lived. If social housing is provided only in Bridport, then people will have to commute to the Char Valley area for work. It is quite wrong that those with jobs in rural areas should in effect be told that they are too poor to live in the countryside, especially if they see a tourist use promoted over their own needs. At present nearly 50% of our residents of working age, work within our grouped parish area and a significant proportion of that work involves servicing the needs of the elderly, the retired, and of tourism within the Vale (Care in the Community, gardening, cleaning, building and other service trades). By contrast only 12% work in Bridport. We strongly support the ideals of fostering community life expressed in the Dorset Structure Plan. We support the basic principles of agricultural ties. But many farms are being amalgamated or enlarged and this has led to a change in local employment to reflect the farm diversification presently encouraged. Many local people now work not only in agriculture but also in local support services and in tourism. We would like to propose a change in designation from “agricultural ties” to “local employment ties”. This would reflect the reduction in the number of those employed in agriculture while retaining a local housing stock with suitable restrictions. The use of tied cottages as holiday accommodation increases farm incomes but reduces houses available for those working on the farms. We would like to see restrictions to the letting of houses with an agricultural tie for tourism, where employees on the same farm are in need of local housing. Our survey results have shown that residents would prefer to see the adaptation of redundant buildings for social housing for local people and not just to holiday units. This could only be where there is a proven need, suitable access can be made, and all the restrictions implemented necessary to prevent conversions coming back onto the open market. Residents see this as preferable to building new social housing units in the AONB. In Wootton Fitzpaine there are eleven Pass Housing Association and six Hastoe Housing Association houses. The residents are all local people which has provided a close knit village with many young families and a wide mix of ages. The Pass Housing Association houses are all rented. Of the Hastoe houses, four are to rent and two are shared equity. In Morcombelake there are several Housing Association houses and six bungalows for the elderly. There is only one Housing Association house left in Whitchurch Canonicorum and our survey, together with local information indicates that within five years more social housing will be needed in this village. There was strong support in our survey for a policy that the existing social housing units in Morcombelake should be offered to people who work in this area or who have lived here or have family here, before those who have no such connection. |
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ACTION PLAN AIMS:
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| To see that village communities retain a balance of ages,
and of different types of property. To see that those who work in the Vale
can be housed here if they wish, and to retain family and community cohesion.
New social housing should not be detrimental to the AONB or to the Whitchurch
Canonicorum conservation area, and could be created from existing houses
or converted buildings, as well as new build. Actions on provision of social housing: • Put forward the above Parish views to the Local Plan Review and to West Dorset District Council Housing Department and to District Councillors. (2002/2003) • Set up a Housing Working Group (2003) with a brief to: i) Talk to the Housing Enablers about Social Housing ii) Examine the Housing Needs in more detail, particularly in Whitchurch Canonicorum iii) Consider setting up parish housing needs registers to complement the WDDC register iv) Find houses to buy, suitable buildings for conversion, or sites suitable for building within the larger village communities Information for local residents: Looking for housing? WDDC and local Housing Associations operate a Joint Housing Register, so anyone who needs housing should get their name on the list, as applications will only be looked at from those who are registered. You can send for an application form to The West Dorset Housing Partnership, 22 High East Street, Dorchester Dorset DT1 1EZ, Telephone 01305 756045, email housing@westdorset-dc.gov.uk. Advice surgeries are at present held in Mountfield, Rax Lane, Bridport on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, or at 22 High East Street, Dorchester, Monday to Thursday 8.30 am to 5 pm. |
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