Dorset Heathlands Planning Framework

Adoption of updated Dorset Heathlands Planning Framework 2020 - 2025 Supplementary Planning Document

A framework has been in place since December 2006, and its purpose is to ensure that there is no net increase in urban pressures on the heaths as a result of additional residential development between 400 metres and five kilometres of heathland. The SPD demonstrates how harm to the protected heathlands can be avoided based upon a range of measures and sets out a mechanism to be applied by the two councils.

An overview map of the 400 metres to five kilometre zone is contained within the document. Natural Englandprovide maps showing the more detailed 400 metre zone around the protected heathland sites.

Dorset Council and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council have reviewed the existing planning framework to manage pressures on the protected sensitive lowland heathlands resulting from development in south-east Dorset, and adopted an updated Dorset Heathlands Planning Framework 2020-2025 Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) on 31 March 2020. The SPD is supported by a reference list. Some key evidence is also available on the website.

The main difference since the 2015-2020 SPD is that Strategic Access, Management and Monitoring in former East Dorset will now be funded through CIL and not Section 106 agreements, except for allocated strategic sites, where contributions will continue to be collected through S106 agreements. In former North Dorset all heathland mitigation will continue to be secured through Section 106 agreements. The SAMM costs have been updated.

A revised draft was consulted on between 3 January and 3 February 2020. Cabinet considered the responses received during the consultation before agreeing the final version. The adoption statement sets out the changes between the consultation draft and the adopted version of the SPD and the judicial review process.