Villagers have staged a mock funeral to protest plans to double their community with an extra 1,700 houses amid claims the UK’s ‘green and pleasant land’ is disappearing.
Proposals to build additional homes in Alderholt, Dorset, would double the size of the village and ‘kill’ the local community, residents have said.
It comes amid growing concern and anger that villages are being ‘swallowed up’ by sprawling towns, particularly in southern England, with planning reforms introduced to help the government hit its target of 340,000 new homes a year.
Residents in the Dorset village have become the latest to voice their anger, forming a resistance group named Action4Alderholt.
Members of the opposition group filmed a video of their leader Debbie Jacobs dressed as the grim reaper trudging through the village.
Angry villagers have held a mock funeral for their small settlement after plans were submitted to double its size
Resident Michael Calaghan highlighted the trouble residents already had with ‘dodgy roads’ and an unreliable bus service
Villager Emma Lockett said: ‘I don’t think anyone here wants it, I only ever hear negative things.’
Villagers worry that the new homes will ‘overwhelm’ the local GP and cause terrible congestion on already tired roads.
Michael Hopson, 85, has lived in Alderholt for the last 16 years and believes the development spells the end of the village.
He said: ‘We don’t want it. It won’t be a village any more. The problem with all these developments is they never think how it will affect people living there now.
‘My family has lived here since the 1500s back when it must have just been a single track. It’s going to put pressure on the infrastructure and it could overwhelm the doctors that we have here.
‘The developers just want the money and the council will want the boost in revenue from council tax. The green and pleasant land is disappearing.’
Fellow resident Michael Calaghan highlighted the trouble residents already had with ‘dodgy roads’ and an unreliable bus service.
He said: ‘There are no plans to improve the infrastructure in the area, they just want to build the houses and leave. We don’t have a usable bus service here as it is, there is only one a day.
‘On top of that we only have one doctor’s surgery in the area, it just won’t cope with 1,700 families living here.’
Proposals to build additional homes in Alderholt, Dorset, would double the size of the village and ‘kill’ the local community
Villagers worry that the new homes will ‘overwhelm’ the local GP and cause terrible congestion on already tired roads
The protesters pulled a coffin through Alderholt to mourn the death of the Dorset village
Protest leader Debbie Jacobs dressed as the Grim Reaper to show her opposition to the plans
Residents in the Dorset village have become the latest to voice their anger, forming a resistance group named Action4Alderholt
Carrow Etherington said: ‘My parents have lived here for 25 years and we love the quiet village feel. That will be eliminated if this plan is allowed to go ahead.’
Resident David Emery has tried to look on the bright side, despite the overwhelming negativity towards the project
Kim Adamczyk moved into Alderholt a year ago to enjoy the ‘little village’ feel, but now worries that it will be destroyed.
She said: ‘I am really concerned about how our roads will cope with the extra traffic. They are in terrible condition. They are very narrow and there are lots of potholes in them.
‘There are already too many people here for the roads and more than 1,000 more cars will damage them even more. We moved here to enjoy the little village feel and it will be ruined.’
Fellow resident David Emery has tried to look on the bright side, despite the overwhelming negativity towards the project.
He said: ‘People don’t want it here at the moment but in the long term it will bring money to the area. I would prefer it if it didn’t happen but I’m sure when it is properly established it will be all right.’
Emma Lockett added: ‘I don’t think anyone here wants it, I only ever hear negative things.’
And Carrow Etherington said: ‘My parents have lived here for 25 years and we love the quiet village feel. That will be eliminated if this plan is allowed to go ahead.’
Fields in Alderholt in Dorset amid fierce resistance from residents over plans for more than 1,700 new homes
Countryside advocates say villages are losing their identity and as they become part of a wider sprawl from towns with profit-hungry developers building on green belt land to reduce their costs
During the protest, the group wanted to represent how the fields, animals and roads of Alderholt would be destroyed.
It comes as countryside advocates say villages are losing their identity and as they become part of a wider sprawl from towns with profit-hungry developers building on green belt land to reduce their costs.
Among the areas that has experienced huge recent change is Bicester in Oxfordshire, where the population could double to 50,000 in the next 20 years if 13,000 planned homes are built in the designated ‘garden town’.
Concerns are also mounting over a so-called ‘rural flight’ of young people who are being forced to leave villages because of a lack of housing and job opportunities which is ‘hollowing out’ small communities around the UK.
Developments are said to be being passed more easily by councils keen to hit Government targets, which is also resulting in a lack of affordable housing being built in these areas because it is less lucrative for developers.
Some 243,775 new homes were built in England in 2021 – near the record level of 255,206 hit in 2019.
In Bicester, meanwhile, new-build estates have been popping up on fields around the area over the past decade, with the latest planned development being a 6,000-home eco-town which will be constructed on what is currently agricultural land.
Hawkwell, which is part of the new site, will sit between Bicester and a picturesque village of 260 people called Bucknell – which locals fear will lose its village character by effectively becoming an extension of Bicester.
Campaigners argue that this is part of a wider problem affecting village life across Britain
A Dudsbury Homes spokesperson said: ‘The development will be transformative for the local area, providing much needed housing and facilities for local families.
‘The proposals consist of 1,700 family homes, including 600 affordable homes, a modern medical centre, significant improvements to St. James’ School, and a new 6-day hourly bus service from Cranborne-Alderholt-Fordingbridge-Ringwood.
Among the areas that has experienced huge recent change is Bicester in Oxfordshire (pictured), where the population could double to 50,000 in the next 20 years if 13,000 planned homes are built in the designated ‘garden town’
The new development of Hawkwell will sit between Bicester and the picturesque village of 260 people, Bucknell
This graphic shows some housing developments in Bicester which are now being built and pushing the town closer to villages
‘Hopefully it will enable younger people to get on the housing ladder. The proposals will also support new business opportunities in Alderholt through a new 10,000 sqm employment hub that will provide a multitude of opportunities.
‘New serviced office space and fibre internet will also make it easier for people to work from home.’
Adrian Hibberd, chairman of Alderholt Parish Council, confirmed that Dorset Council had received the proposal and said he had seen Dudsbury Homes’ ‘wishlist’.
He said he’s waiting to see something ‘in black and white’ before passing comments, adding: ‘Until an application comes forward we’re not having a view as such. There are more developers than just Dudsbury Homes trying to do the same thing at the moment.
‘Alderholt is surrounded by land that wants to be built on.’