Navitus Bay Wind Park: Update on timing of next stage of consultation

Navitus Bay Development Limited (Navitus Bay), the jOint venturebehind the proposed Navitus Bay Wind Park, is announcing today that it has decided to reschedule the third round of public consultation on the project until February 2013.

The decision to reschedule the next stage of consultation reflects the high level of attendance and feedback that Navitus Bay received from the local community at the second round of consultation earlier this year. To ensure that the community and technical feedback is given the due consideration it deserves, Navitus Bay has decided to allocate additional time and resources to fu lly explore the comments received and how they can be accommodated in to the proposals, taking into account the complex technical and environmental constraints on the project.

2 Drummond Road Swanage (PA 6/2012/0568)

Over the last few years there have been a number of planning applications which have involved the destruction of interesting and characterful properties, the most notable probably being the former Westbury hotel (latterly care home) in Rempstone Road Swanage.

The Society is increasingly concerned that the character of Swanage is being steadily eroded by the destruction of such properties and believes that acceptable viable alternatives, whereby these properties can be adapted for 21st Century use, while still retaining their character.

The latest case is No.2 Drummond Road in south Swanage which, to our knowledge, has been the subject of three planning applications in recent years. Each of these has involved the demolition of Drummond Lodge, an interesting Edwardian house.

Asmoleum Museum Oxford

Visit to Ashmolean Museum Oxford

Visit to Ashmolean Museum Oxford – Tuesday 12th June 2012.

All enjoyed their visit and were amazed at the extensive collection in the building and especially the Egyptian Gallery.

Summer Outings 2013

Dates for your diary. I have organized the following coach outings :- Wednesday May 8th. Sherbourne & Sandford Orcas Manor House. With our Blue Guide Mr P.Welton who you will remember guided us around “Hardy’s Wessex”. Tuesday June 4th. Visit to Titsey Hill Hall & Gardens, Oxted, Surrey. Tuesday July 9th. Broadlands (subject to confirmation). … Read more

Osborne House

Day Trip to Osbourne House, Isle of Wight

Day Trip to Isle of Wight Thursday 12th July 2012 Fifty four members enjoyed a day trip to Osbourne House on the Isle of Wight on Thursday 12th July 2012. The day started off sunny and we had a beautiful journey through the New Forest to the ferry at Lymington. Unfortunately rain set in for … Read more

National Lottery Awards – vote Durlston

Durlston has reached the final in the 2012 National Lottery Awards (Heritage category) and has been shortlisted as one of the 3 best Heritage project of the year. This is an important, national award with the winner decided by public vote and the awards presentation shown live on BBC1 in December. We would greatly appreciate … Read more

Thomas Hardy

Hardy’s Wessex coach trip

Tuesday 11th September 2012 Forty one members enjoyed this outing led by our Blue guide Mr P.Welton. We picked Peter up at the Red Lion Wareham and then on via Wellbridge Manor, Wool. We know it as Woolbrige Manor House and in the book “Tess of the D’Urbevilles” Tess and Angel Clare had their honeymoon. … Read more

Planning Purbeck’s Future: Main Modifications to the Purbeck Core Strategy

Set out below is the Society’s response to the consultation on the proposed Modifications to the draft Core Strategy which submitted in January 2012 and was the subject of an Examination In Public (EIP) in May. There may be a further EIP on these Modifications and the responses received since the EIP in May If/when accepted the Purbeck Core Strategy will replace the Purbeck District Local Plan Final Edition (2004) as the strategic planning document.

The Society submitted its own response on the proposed Modifications to PDC on 25 July but before commenting specifically on them as set out in tabular form below, the Purbeck Society noted its concern at the length and complexity of the whole process. The proformas and the quasi-legal way in which the comments to the initial draft had to be made and, similarly comments on the current modifications, we considered to be very un-user friendly, which we are sure will have discouraged many from commenting. Hopefully these issues will not be a feature when developing and consulting upon the individual Local Plans. Furthermore, we noted that by the time the Core Strategy is finally adopted (presumably in 2013) it will be seven years into the plan period of 2006 – 2026/7!

NHS Consultation on ‘Making Purbeck Healthcare Fit for the Future’

The first phase of the consultation process finished on 20 July and what follows formed the basis of the Society’s submission to this process. The NHS tell us that they will formulate firmer proposals based on the comments received in this first phase consultation and will be submitted for further consultation in the Autumn.

Members of the Society were appalled at the proposals to relocate the Swanage Health Centre and close the Swanage Hospital to be replaced by a polyclinic, as were the vast majority of the residents of Swanage a large number of whom besieged the Mowlem on the evening of 20th July.

So far as Swanage is concerned, we submit, there are two aspects of the provision of healthcare to be considered : the Health Centre and Swanage Hospital, although of course there is some linkage between them.

The Navitus Wind Farm Project (June 2012 Update)

A note on the meeting with Eneco at the Drop In session at the Swanage Youth Centre on 21st June 2012

Hearing of this session from Andrew Langley, of Challenge Navitus – I attended on behalf of the Purbeck Society.

Eneco attendees were Rebecca Evans and Daniel Bates, although it seems that they are from PR consultants rather than Eneco’s direct employees. David Lloyd from the Sailing Club was the only other attendee at this session, although we were given to understand that other sessions would be held during the day. Eneco are due to meet Andrew Langley early next month.

The consultation process seems to be a long and protracted one; we have had round one with the exhibition at the Mowlem earlier in the year. The next round, apart from these Drop Ins, will commence in November this year – when an initial Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will be available, although I am not clear whether it will be published as such, but will be part of the consultation.