Comprehensive public consultation
Talbot Village Trust and Nuffiled Health have been committed to engaging with the local community from the outset and ensuring that all key stakeholders had the opportunity to view and comment on the development proposals.
A widescale and comprehensive public engagement exercise was undertaken in July and September, alongside a detailed programme of pre-application engagement with a wide range of technical consultees and experts.
The infographic below summarised the consultation undertaken on the proposals.
Engagement in numbers
Outcomes from community involvement
Following engagement with interested stakeholders, the proposed planning application has positively evolved.
- The feedback received and discussions undertaken during the course of the public engagement have identified that many people accept both the need to create new high quality jobs on the site and the importance of protecting and supporting the local environment. The planning application seeks to balance the needs of the environment with the opportunity for collaboration, conversation, the provision of much needed additional healthcare capacity, and the creation of skilled jobs to retain young people here in the BCP area, adjacent to the two Universities.
- As a result of the feedback received from residents in Dulsie Road at the public exhibition, the proposed pedestrian and cycle path along the eastern boundary has been removed from the proposals. It was made clear that this was a concern for many residents living in Dulsie Road in terms of safety and noise and applicants are therefore the applicants are happy to address this.
- The proposed landscaping and boundary treatment along the eastern boundary has been positively shaped via feedback from the public exhibition and a secondary focused consultation with residents of Dulsie Road who back onto the site’s eastern boundary.
- The Framework Plans shown during the public engagement showed buildings of three storeys backing onto Dulsie Road near Alyth Road. Following feedback received, the applicants have reviewed the parameter plan and pulled the three storey zone back from Dulsie Road.
- The applicants have agreed to fund a Traffic Order consultation with residents living in roads close to the proposed Innovation Quarter, with the aim of introducing controlled parking to prevent nuisance parking arising. Depending on the feedback provided, and if supported by residents, such measures could include double yellow lining, resident parking permits and arrangements to enable visitors to park when visiting residents in this area.
- Concerns were also raised at the public engagement event around proposals for multi storey car parking. The applicants can confirm there are no plans for a multi-story car park.
- Through early discussions with community representatives it was suggested that a new Community Farm might be welcomed. The applicants therefore included an area adjacent to the Innovation Quarter which could be provided as a hub for a community farm. Feedback during the public consultation, including a dedicated stakeholder workshop has shown:
- Consensus that the proposed farm location would be best run as a ‘Growing Hub’ (working title) bringing together the universities, local schools, the proposed hospital, GP surgeries and community to focus on wellbeing and rehabilitation with links to wildlife, horticulture and food production. Grounded Communities in Boscombe provides a local example with programmes which could be replicated for the Innovation Quarter.
- Due to poor soil qualities, options for food growing need further investigation. Raised beds and other urban growing technologies will be explored supporting ongoing research at Bournemouth University.
- Opportunities for local food growing could be looked for more widely across the Innovation Quarter, TVT’s estate and surrounding neighbourhoods.
- The proposed Heathland Support Area was also subject to the dedicated stakeholder workshop, which showed a preference for:
- Using the HSA as an opportunity to innovate and research heath and grassland management.
- The presence of livestock, which is highly valued by the community, should be maintained, but at lower density to improve biodiversity.
- Providing off lead areas for dogs to help wardens enforce better management and on-lead dog walking on Talbot Heath
- Landscaping will be laid out to ensure that there is sufficient segregation of the Innovation Quarter from the Heathland Support Area. This approach was preferred by 61% of respondents to the public consultation.
- The design of the proposed Nuffield Hospital has evolved to include materials on the east elevation facing residential properties that reflect feedback showing a clear preference for the use of warm/natural toned brickwork and bronze cladding and silver/light grey-blue cladding.
- The engagement feedback also highlights key areas where the Talbot Village Trust can extend its charitable purposes in meaningful ways, including the advancement of education and community development. The Trustees will use this feedback to inform the ongoing charitable activity and management of the Talbot Village.