A Different Approach?

There are many things that could be done to develope Talbot Village that would be of benefit to the residents. Not all development is necessarily bad or undesirable. It is the selling off of the land for private housing that seems to be so unpopular and at odds with the principles of the Trusts founders.

Student accommodation within a short walk of the University has to be viewed as a priority that will be of benefit to local residents. The blight of student car parking can be greatly alleviated by the provision of accommodation close to campus and the proposals to include student accommodation in plans to develope the land south of Wallisdown Road make good sense.

There is even some talk of increasing the area available for parking at the medical centre in Gillett Road. A possible Community Centre has also been hinted at, providing an acceptable organisation to run the place is formed. Both of these proposals sound good.

Affordable Housing has been mentioned. If this means some kind of 'shared ownership' scheme is going to be available to assist hard-working local families to get a place on the property ladder then that too can only be a good thing.

If, however, 'affordable housing' means tiny 2 bedroomed flats for rent it might be easier to understand the opposition. Bournemouth has suffered an explosion of this type of 'housing', all over the borough fine family homes have been pulled down for identikit developments of small flats. We really dont need any more.

What seems to be the real problem is the building of private homes for sale.

Short term gain by the sale of land for housing will probably be a source of regret for the Trust in later years. The Trust is in an enviable position to create a new model for socially responsible development that not only fully agrees with the Talbot Sisters principles but actively expands upon them.

A development that offered high quality family sized accommodation under a shared ownership with the Trust at an affordable rate, a viable, lively and inclusive student village, a 'village green' centrepiece with community arts and education centre and affordable shop and work units for small local businesses, a place where people can sit, have a coffee or a light meal, browse a gallery, watch a film or a play, see a band, meet friends and family or just read a book. Development should at least attempt to improve the lives of those who will live there.

I see little evidence of any attempt to create anything to improve the area - just schemes to turn fields into executive homes for a few rich people.

Once the money from the sale of land has been spent its gone forever. Those that live here will have to live with the consequences of over development with no supporting improvement of infrastructure long after the Estate Agents, developers, solicitors and surveyors have banked their juicy fees and moved to somewhere less blighted.

Strong opposition to the current proposals is expected

Bournemouth Echo article - opposition meetings June 2010