People in the Talbot Heath area are stepping up their campaign to save Highmoor Farm, the last remaining urban farm in Poole, following a formal application by Talbot Village Trust and Nuffield Health to develop the land south of the Wallisdown Road.

It is a hybrid application.

There is a full application for a new 11,606 square metre Nuffield Health Hospital plus an outline application for the provision of 13,394 square metre of employment, healthcare and university-related floor space, including ancillary uses and a Growing Hub.

In addition there is an application for a change of use of 12 hectares of grazing land to create a Heathland Support Area for the lifetime of the Innovation Quarter.

Nick Dobbs, co-administrator for Preserve Talbot Heath Facebook Group – which has 1,700 members – said:  “It doesn’t matter how hard the applicants try and dress this in their 91 documents submitted to BCP Council Planning, the cold sobering reality is that Talbot Village Trust and Nuffield Health’s hybrid planning applications are proposing to concrete over and sanitise for human recreation purposes the equivalent of 44 football pitches of farmland brimming with established wildlife.

“The applications require the eviction of the tenant farmer and his much loved Highland cattle, resulting in one of BCP Council’s flagship SSSI nature reserves – Talbot Heath being completely encircled by development and the very real potential of net losses in biodiversity with no real accountability. The applicants believe they can redesign nature at the sweep of their architect’s pen and have deliberately ignored the significance of how the established habitats of Highmoor Farm and Talbot Heath are interdependent and the reason why wildlife is thriving.

“The wider public and indeed many local councillors are much more attuned these days in wanting to protect their local natural heritage.”

Nick Ashley Cooper, chairman of Talbot Village Trust, which owns the land, said: “The Innovation Quarter is a once in a generation opportunity to create a positive transformational impact for BCP and the region.

“The aim is to support the two universities and provide improved prospects for young people and families to live, work and contribute to the BCP area. The proposals, developed in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders, are aligned with BCP Council and Dorset LEP’s economic strategy.

“Crucially, we are committed to do this whilst enabling people to live well, enhancing the environment, achieving biodiversity net gain, and ensuring that the Talbot Heath is fully protected for future generations.”

It is hoped that the Innovation Quarter will help to generate high-quality jobs.

Talbot Village Trust said that there is no intention of building on Talbot Heath, now or in the future. It added that it is a custodian of the protected Talbot Heath, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and home to diverse and rare wildlife.

Part of the planning application seeks permission to use half of the site – 30 acres– to deliver a Heathland Support Area (HSA), which aims to protect the heath by providing an alternative space for informal recreation.

Nick Ashley Cooper added: “We have incorporated the HSA within our comprehensive application to showcase a cohesive approach and enable the Council to consider the HSA in conjunction with the wider development proposals.

“We have given careful attention to the landscape design to limit access to the HSA from the Innovation Quarter and undertaken public consultation to inform the management plan. Under the guidance of the Management Liaison Group, we are dedicated to supporting biodiversity on the site.”

Nuffield Health says it has been looking for eight years to find a suitable site in Bournemouth to build a new hospital, to replace its existing and outdated facility. David McNair, hospital director at Nuffield Health Bournemouth, said: “Our hospital plays a critical role in healthcare in Dorset. We continue to work more closely than ever with the local NHS trust as it recovers from the pandemic and increased capacity is a necessity to achieve that locally.

“As well as supporting already stretched healthcare services, a new hospital will allow for existing and successful research programmes to be developed, resulting in more efficient and user-friendly procedures for patients across the globe. I am proud of the work our team are achieving locally and would be delighted to see this grow within a new hospital.”

Ahead of the submission of the planning application, a wide scale and comprehensive public engagement exercise was undertaken in July and September.

A petition to save Highmoor Farm has been started by local resident Kerry Batcock and it is available on https://chng.it/DnJtL65b