Welcome to the Canford Park website

In March 2019, W H White Limited submitted a hybrid planning application to Borough of Poole for a sustainable mixed-use development known as Canford Park, located north of Bearwood. 

The submission of the planning application comes following widespread public engagement events in August 2018, previous events in autumn 2016 and formal engagement with Borough of Poole officers and representatives of Natural England and the Environment Agency.

The planning application presents an opportunity for a sustainable development of 695 family homes (including up to 40% (278) affordable homes), a 60-bed care home and a central community hub with supporting infrastructure. It will create a unique community set alongside a new Riverside Country Park providing beautiful parkland which can be enjoyed by everyone.  The development will also include a new community hub at its heart providing a focal point and range of community facilities, employment opportunities and small everyday shops.

The Poole Local Plan, which was adopted on 13 November 2018, sets out the exceptional circumstances that justify a carefully planned release of Green Belt land to help resolve the under delivery of homes in recent years. This includes Canford Park under emerging Policy UE2.

Members of Borough of Poole voted to adopt the Poole Local Plan following advice from an independent Government Planning Inspector which is highly positive in endorsing the Local Plan strategy and confirms that the Plan is sound, based on a credible evidence base and accords with national planning policy.

W H White is committed to reflect, as fully as possible, the requirements for the site as set out in Policy PP10 of the adopted Poole Local Plan.

The planning application is a Hybrid planning application seeking:

Full permission for the demolition of no.94 Magna Road, construction of primary access roads, formation of multifunctional open spaces, reprofiling to allow for construction of primary surface and foul water infrastructure, installation of mains services and formation of development platforms; in support of: outline permission for the phased development of up to 695 new homes, a community hub comprising retail uses (A1/A2/A3), flexible work space (B1), community uses (D1/D2) and a 60-bed care home

The planning application has been informed by site constraints and opportunities; an analysis of the wider character of the area; Development Plan Policies; comments received through community and stakeholder engagements; technical assessments; and, deliverability considerations. A copy of the Non-Technical Summary can be downloaded here. 

Public Exhibitions and Feedback

W H White held public exhibitions on Wednesday 8 August and Tuesday 21 August 2018. A series of exhibitions were also held in Autumn 2016.

We would like to thank all members of the community that attended the consultation events and provided feedback through this website. A Report on Community Engagement has been submitted in support of the planning application.

Should you wish to provide further comments on the proposals, please do not hesitate to contact us by:

Email: info@canfordpark.co.uk

Telephone: 0800 080 3269

Latest News

Tuesday 28th Sep 2021

Overview

The Canford Park site is located on land north of Magna Road, Bearwood. Planning consent has been granted separately for a Country Park predominantly on the former Canford Magna Golf Cub land.

W H White have been promoting the remainder of the site as a sustainable location for new homes, with a series of Borough wide public exhibitions held in Autumn 2016 and more recently in August 2018.

Borough of Poole Councillors adopted the Poole Local Plan on 13 November 2018. The adoption of the Plan follows advice from an independent Government Planning Inspector which is highly positive in endorsing the Local Plan strategy and confirms that the Plan is sound, based on a credible evidence base and accords with national planning policy.

The Local Plan sets out the exceptional circumstances that justify a carefully planned release of Green Belt land to help resolve the under delivery of homes in recent years. This includes at Policy PP10, an allocation for new homes, a 60-bed care home and community hub at Canford Park (site UE2, North of Bearwood). An extract of Policy PP10 is provided below. 

W H White has now submitted a planning application which reflects, as fully as possible, the allocation of the site outlined in the adopted Local Plan at Policy PP10.

The wider Canford Park site may come forward in the future as part of a longer-term vision, which could provide additional family homes set alongside new facilities and infrastructure. However, this is not part of the current proposals.

The Planning Application

W H White has evolved  a planning application which takes into account constructive comments from the local community and reflects the adopted Policy for the site in the Poole Local Plan.

The planning application includes the details of the access, drainage and key infrastructure; and, seeks outline planning permission for the principle of 695 new family homes, a 60-bed care home and central community hub. This will enable detailed Reserved Matters applications to come forward for each distinct character area.

The vision for Canford Park represents a unique opportunity to bring forward a sustainable and attractive community for existing residents, as well as future generations. comprising:

• 695 new homes, with a focus on family houses, rather than flats, as well as accommodation for older persons looking to "right size" and those looking to get onto the housing ladder.
• 278 (40%) affordable homes– rarely achieved in Poole and Dorset.
• The phased delivery of a 44-hectare Country Park providing beautiful parkland, with public access to the River Stour.
• A new community hub providing shops, everyday services, business incubator space, and community facilities.
• A network of walking and cycle routes and improved bus services to enable residents to make sustainable travel choices.
• New and improved social infrastructure, the scope of which is to be agreed with Borough of Poole through the planning process.

Homes for All

Canford Park will deliver a range of homes and tenures to provide real benefits and create a vibrant community. Canford Park will meet the Policy requirements of the Poole Local Plan and is likely to include:

The Riverside Country Park

Planning permission for the Riverside Country Park has already been granted and the new homes at Canford Park will help to realise its phased delivery. Canford Park will contribute towards the delivery of  a 44 hectare Riverside Country Park, the size of 61 football pitches, which has until now been private land.

The Country Park will provide beautiful parkland with a network of riverside walks, cycling routes, ecological hotspots and leisure trails which can be enjoyed by everyone.  

The Country Park will be a formal SANG (Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace) which means it will protect the Dorset Heathlands by providing an alternative location for outdoor activities.

Historic evidence and academic research has shown that the ability to enjoy green open space has a significantly positive correlation with mental well-being, strengthening immune systems and creating healthier and happier communities.

In addition, a Forestry Commission study showed that nearby well-managed green space could result in an average property premium of 2.6% to 11.3%.

The Community Hub

Canford Park will provide a new community hub comprising shops, everyday services, business start-up units, a care home and community facilities.

The sketch below shows how a section of the Community Hub will look.

Detailed Design

The detailed design of the proposals will come forward as a series of character areas which reflect the characteristics of each part of the site. The plan below sets out the character areas and the broad design approach. A Design Code has been submitted with the planning application.

W H White has assembled a project team to progress the technical aspects of the proposals. The team will evaluate feedback from the local community, Council officers and other stakeholders to evolve the detailed design.

The detailed design of each distinct area will come forward as Reserved Matters Planning Applications, subject to the approval of the Outline planning application.

The Design Code submitted with the application can be downloaded by using the links  below:

Part 1 - Design Code 

Part 2 - Design Code

Character Areas

Canford Park lies on the northern fringes of Bearwood, which is a diverse residential area that does not set a strong overriding precedent for the proposed density, scale and materials palate of buildings at Canford Park.

To create distinctiveness the neighbourhoods will evolve as different character areas in response to variations in context, local character, visual sensitivity and heritage assets. 

Further information regarding the proposed individual Character Areas are available in the Design Code document submitted with the planning application and extract of which is available here. 

An sustainable and accessible site

Canford Park is situated in a sustainable and accessible location close to local and key services in Bearwood, in north Poole.

The proposals will prioritise walking, cycling and public transport, by creating a network of routes through the development to existing and proposed key services. This includes providing a pedestrian crossing point along Magna Road and access to the approved SANG link to the west of the development.

The development will improve and sustain public transport services through increasing the number of bus passengers and transforming Magna Road into a ‘Bus Showcase Corridor’.

As well as being adjacent and accessible to/from existing facilities and services the community hub in the centre of the development will deliver local shops and services and community space at the heart of the development, coupled with green space and formalised play spaces. 

Highways Assessment

The overall impact of the additional growth identified in the Local Plan has been assessed using a Borough-wide transport model which concludes that additional growth can be accommodated with a small 2.5% growth in overall traffic levels.

This does not account for any mitigation measures which are likely to reduce the impact on local roads and provide benefits by better managing traffic flow on Magna Road. Such measures will be discussed through the planning process as the proposals move forward.

Access to the site

As per the requirements of adopted Policy PP10, vehicular access to the site is proposed from two points along Magna Road:

• A signalised junction at the existing junction of Knighton Lane and Magna Road. Discussion regarding the exact design of the junction is being undertaken with Borough of Poole and Dorset County Council and will be influenced by the improvements being undertaken to the Junction by Barratt Homes.
• The creation of a new signalised junction at 94 Magna Road, which is controlled by W H White. An indicative plan of the new access and pathways at 94 Magna Road is shown inset right.

Both junctions will be of sufficient capacity to enable buses and larger vehicles to enter the site. Shared foot and cycle paths will also be provided at each junction and link up with the existing paths on Magna Road.

New pedestrian crossing points will also be provided on Magna Road.

Feedback

Whilst W H White has now submitted a planning application, we are still keen to engage on the detail of each character area and would be happy to receive your general comments.  So, please do not hesitate to contact the team should you wish to discuss the proposals. You can contact us here.

However, any comments that you wish to have considered as part of the determination of the planning application should be sent directly to Borough of Poole.

About Us

Canford Park is being promoted by W H White Limited. The company represents a consortium of land owners who collectively control over 300 hectares of land in the north of Poole.

W H White is supported by a wider project team including: