Today we received this update from the Dorset Deserves Better Campaign. It arrived just one day before the deadine for participating in the consultation. No subgroup of Planet Shaftesbury has met to submit a collective response alongside outr participation in the Camaign. I'll be referring to DDB's conclusions and making some supplementary comments of my own. Here is the letter and links.

Enclosed is Dorset Deserves Better's response to Dorset Council's Consultation on Planning for Climate Change.

Our consultation has taken into account our views (DDB leadership) and the views of Dorset Climate Action Network (DCAN). In addition, we have also borrowed some information in the excellent responses from Planet Wimborne and CPRE.

My apologies that we have not been able to share this response with you earlier. Unfortunately the consultation has taken some time to review and the response now needs to be submitted by 8th June. However, if you have any comments, we would be delighted to hear them.

In summary:

• We compliment Dorset Council on the work they have done and that they are making a clear statement that Climate Change will be considered to have material impact in planning decisions

• We also compliment DC on the introduction of a sustainability checklist which helps people to think more clearly about the sustainability of their developments and to ensure they are compliant with regulations.

• The checklist (and the documents issued) will ensure that there is consistency between the interpretation of the current local plans - which is one of DC's key objectives.

• However, the checklist is advisory only when it should be mandatory

• There are no additional standards or targets set - which is a huge lost opportunity

• The scope of the checklist is unambitious and does not include transport, infrastructure or ecology issues. 

• So, despite the fine words, it does not feel that Climate Change and sustainable issues will in fact carry any more weight in planning decisions than they currently do.

For more detail, background research and recommendations for changes to the checklist and the Position Statements, please see the enclosed document.

All the very best,

Giles Watts and Mike Allen for DDB

Here is the previous letter received from the Dorset Deserves Better Campaign.

Many of you will be aware that Dorset Council have started a consultation process about "Planning for Climate Change" which follows on from their announcement in February of an updated "Natural Environment, Climate and Ecology Strategy(NECES)" to replace the earlier "Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy (CEES)". The consultation exercise runs until 8th June.

There are three documents in the consultation process:

• Planning for Climate Change. Interim guidance and position statement.

• Sustainability Statement and Checklist for planning application

• Listed Buildings - What you can do for Climate Change
  

These documents are intended to bridge the gap between the existing regional local plans (which are all out of date) and the new Dorset Council Local Plan which is not proposed to be adopted until 2026. Making sure that Climate Change considerations underpin the planning process is one of the key actions that the Dorset Deserves Better alliance has been asking for. At first first glance, these documents look like a serious attempt to make sure this happens and so they should be welcomed. However the devil lies in the detail and unless these new proposals drive real changes to the planning process, nothing material will have been achieved.

Mike Allen and I have started assessing the documents from the point of view of the Dorset Deserves Better campaign and we will send you a copy of our draft assessment in the next few weeks. Following any feedback, we then intend to respond to the council's consultation on behalf of the "Dorset Deserves Better" alliance. Of course, you and your organisation may also wish to make a separate response to the council.

As preparation for our assessment, please let Mike and I know if you have read the documents yourself and have any particular comments you would like to make. If we can, we will make sure these are incorporated into our draft response. Please forward this email to anyone in your organisation who you think would be interested.

Here is a link to Dorset Council's consultation process:https://consultation.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/spatial-planning/dorset-council-planning-for-climate-change/ and here is a link to the draft Natural Environment, Climate and Ecology Strategy (NECES): https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/-/natural-environment-climate-and-ecology-strategy-2023-to-2025-refresh-draft- I have enclosed copies of the documents at the end of this email.

Any comments or opinions welcome. All the best, Giles Watts