Widescale Engagement
As a local company, Dudsbury Homes has been committed to engaging with the local community from the outset to ensure that all key stakeholders had the opportunity to view and comment on the emerging development proposals, and so that the masterplan evolved in a meaningful way.
Dudsbury Homes therefore undertook a widescale and comprehensive public engagement alongside a detailed programme of pre-application engagement with a wide range of technical consultees and experts.
This page provides an overview of the wide scale engagement undertaken on the emerging proposals, which included an online and physical public consultation during July 2022.
The original consultation website from Summary 2022 can be see by clicking here.
Summary of Engagement
In total, it is estimated that circa. 450 residents attended the public exhibitions.
Since its launch on 24 June 2022, the project website received 16,868 views from 3,099 users spending an average of 3 minutes 42 seconds on the website. During this period, we also received 223 completed feedback forms.
Over half of the respondents recognised the importance of providing essential everyday facilities, such as improvements to St James School, a new doctors surgery and community spaces fit for working and socialising, as part of any future development in Alderholt.
The essential services proposed in the Masterplan that respondents deemed most beneficial to the existing community in Alderholt, were a doctors surgery, pharmacy and dentist, all of which are proposed as part of the Alderholt Meadows masterplan.
Anecdotal feedback during the exhibition also highlighted the current lack of public transport provision in the village and therefore the provision of such a bus service would be a considerable improvement to all residents of the village and enable residents to make sustainable transport choices.
Many respondents also commented on the perceived increase in traffic and whether the existing road capacity will cope with additional vehicles. It is therefore important to note that Alderholt Meadows would enable the delivery of highways improvements on the A31 and also aims to address at pinch points in the network. More information is available in the Transport Assessment submitted with the planning application.
Following the public consultation, Dudsbury Homes has drafted a Frequently Asked Questions document which has been sent to all local people who engaged with our public consultation in July 2022. A copy of this document is now available on the FAQ Page.
Responses to the most frequently asked were also published in the local parish magazine to ensure the entire community had the opportunity to see Dudsbury Homes latest update.
As well as public consultation, Dudsbury Homes had sought to meet local stakeholders and has undertaken a number of immensely helpful discussions, including with:
- Dorset Council officers
- Alderholt Parish Council
- St James’ First School, Alderholt
- The Fordingbridge GP Practice
- Alderholt Scouts Group
- Forestry England
- Natural England
- Dorset Police
- Dorset LEP
- Wessex Water
- Yellow Buses