More housing in Poole
Sunseeker co-founder dies
Poole has received an outline planning application for a phased development of up to 695 new homes on land north of Bearwood, Magna Road and Knighton Lane. The development would include a community hub with retail uses and a 60-bed care home. The scheme would involve full permission for the demolition of 94 Magna Road. The applicant, WH White Limited has said it intends to provide 40 per cent affordable housing within the development. A number of objections from local people have already been submitted including increasing traffic congestion and building on the green belt. A Bearwood resident said, “The application has caused some consternation because the proposals deviate from the Local Plan in a number of ways. Firstly, the developers propose a site which extends northwards of the Stour Valley Way on to the SE Dorset Green Belt. Secondly, local residents were never consulted by the council on the demolition of number 94 Magna Road as an access road and the proposed junction both here and at Knighton Lane/Magna Road give cause for concern about highway safety.” The application will be decided by the planning committee of the new Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council. This authority will adopt the Plans of the three existing councils until such time as it prepares a new Plan to cover the conurbation.
Entrepreneur and pioneer of the leisure marine industry, Robert Braithwaite, passed away on 7 March 2019. He was 75. One of the founders of Sunseeker International, he grew the Poole-based company from humble beginnings. It now employs around 2,600 people building yachts and super yachts from 38 to 161 feet. It was eventually sold to Dalian Wanda Group in 2013, allowing managing director, Robert, to take a more ambassadorial role. During his career, he not only held the position of chairman of the British Marine Federation on three occasions, but was made a Freeman of the City of London by the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights and was Deputy Lieutenant of Dorset. He was also awarded an MBE and later a CBE
At Verwood Afternoon TG’s annual meeting members were treated to an afternoon tea after the business was completed. Margaret Wright, pictured left, chairman for the past three years, handed over the role to Denise Pugh. A presentation was made to Margaret Ware on being a member of TG for over 50 years.
Homes on derelict land could transform towns With considerable housing development taking place, or scheduled to take place, in East Dorset and Poole, the Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) has published a report which points out that brownfield sites should be used for the provision of new homes in order to regenerate towns. The CPRE identified 28 sites in East Dorset which could accommodate 887 new properties and 123 sites in Poole which could accommodate 7,041 homes. The countryside charity has published a new analysis of councils’ Brownfield Land Registers, which identifies run-down areas that could be redeveloped to prevent the unnecessary loss of precious countryside. Rebecca Pullinger, planning campaigner at the Campaign to Protect Rural England said, “Building on brownfield land presents a fantastic opportunity to simultaneously remove local eyesores and breathe new life into areas crying out for regeneration. It will help to limit the amount of countryside lost to development, and build more homes in areas where people want to live, with infrastructure, amenities and services already in place.” In order to make best use of suitable brownfield land, CPRE is urging the government to introduce a genuine ‘brownfield first’ policy, which ensures that suitable previously developed or under-used land is prioritised for redevelopment over green spaces and countryside.
Priest’s House update Although the Priest’s House Museum in Wimborne is now closed for refurbishment and won’t open until spring next year, the adjacent Tourist Information Centre and Garden tea room are open as usual. In addition an education outreach programme is now being offered to schools. A National Lottery grant of £982,200 has been awarded through the Heritage Lottery Fund to fund improvements. This grant forms part of the museum’s £1.6 million Revival Project. In June, the TIC will move temporarily into the Hilda Coles Open Learning Centre at the rear of the museum, where it will remain for the duration of the refurbishment.
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VIEWPOINT April 2019
in recognition of his contribution to the marine industry and numerous Queen’s Awards for Enterprise for the wider business. A generous philanthropist, he donated a vital £3.5m da Vinci robot to Poole Hospital to support advanced keyhole surgery for cancer patients. Robert Braithwaite’s contribution to the marine industry globally was pivotal. A true visionary, he changed the face of boating forever.
Robert Braithwaite
Man sentenced for controlling and coercive behaviour A man has been sentenced at court and handed a restraining order after admitting controlling and coercive behaviour involving a former partner. Kirk Rotherham, 29, from Poole, was sentenced for the offence at Bournemouth Crown Court on 22 March. He had pleaded guilty to the charge on 21 December 2018, a month before he had been due to stand trial after initially entering a not guilty plea. Rotherham was sentenced to a community order for three years with a requirement to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work in the community, as well as a rehabilitation activity requirement and condition to attend the ‘Building Better Relationships’ accredited scheme. He was also made subject to a restraining order for an indefinite period preventing contact with his victim. Rotherham and his victim had been involved in a 12-month relationship and during that period she described him as displaying jealously around her working alongside male colleagues. He would dictate when she was able to work and socialise and she felt forced to cancel approximately 50 shifts. When she was called to a meeting in relation to this at work she cited Rotherham as being the main factor in her cancelling so many duties. The controlling behaviour continued with Rotherham demanding to know where she was and who she was with, and the victim said she continued contact
with him in order to keep him calm and for her own safety. At times he would demand video calls on the hour, every hour, to verify her whereabouts and her company. On one occasion the defendant turned up at her university, despite her saying she did not want him to visit. On a further three occasions he turned up unannounced at her place of work and she would often see his car parked outside her home address. Having provided her initial statement to police on Wednesday 31 January 2018, the victim returned home and saw the defendant in his car leaving the address. He had also called or texted her 56 times within a period of less than five hours. Controlling and coercive behaviour was introduced as a criminal offence in December 2015 to close the gap in the law around patterns of controlling or coercive behaviour, which amounts to psychological and emotional abuse, but stops short of physical abuse. Kirk Rotherham
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