Getting the Balance right between Dorset’s Housing, Nature & Countryside

*** Thank you if you joined our conference on 9th June. The links to individual presentations are added to the Programme & Timetable below. The individual recordings are being adding to the Dorset CPRE YouTube channel once checked by the presenter ***

The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. Dorset’s landscapes, waterways and biodiversity have suffered serious losses in the last 80 years and remain at risk from unrealistic housing targets and unconstrained development.

How do we move from policy aims and promises to real environmental outcomes on the ground?

The conference aimed to:

• Increase awareness and provide clarity and leadership ahead of the next round of Local Plans and major housing allocations
• Make attendees aware that nature and Dorset’s countryside are critically under threat
• Explore how local authorities, wildlife bodies, and communities can collaborate to secure better results
• Explore how a balance between nature recovery and development can be achieved under the planning system
• Look at the role CPRE can play in scrutiny, community engagement, and positive proposals

Caring for nature supports the wellbeing of everyone, now and in future generations.

The conference was opened by our President, former BBC Chief News Correspondent, Kate Adie.

Roger Mortlock, who joined National CPRE as Chief Executive in May 2023, chaired the conference. He joined following 10 years as Chief Executive of the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, and leadership roles at the Soil Association and the Royal Shakespeare Company. He is passionate about a more sustainable future for rural England and CPRE’s role in finding solutions which make the best use of our land and safeguard our countryside.

Speakers included

• Roger Mortlock, CPRE CEO
• Imogen Davenport, Conservation Director – Nature-based Solutions, Dorset Wildlife Trust
• Matt Wheeldon, Infrastructure Development Director, Wessex Water
• Maria Grant, Associate Landscape Planner, LUC (Land Use Consultants)
• Cllr Nick Ireland, Leader of Dorset Council
• Cllr Millie Earl, Leader of BCP Council

Programme & Timetable – 19/06/2026 updated links to presentations

Speakers Bios

Imogen Davenport
Imogen’s role and the nature-based solutions team are focussed on Dorset Wildlife Trust’s work across their whole area to enable nature to recover, people to connect with and take action for nature in their community and to demonstrate the role nature can play in addressing the climate crisis and other problems. The team work closely with those who manage land and sea as well as community groups and other partnerships and organisations and campaign to give nature a voice and to ensure that decisions that affect Dorset’s environment are based on sound evidence.

Imogen has worked for Dorset Wildlife Trust since 1996. Prior to moving to Dorset she volunteered on nature projects from the age of 17, then gained an environmental science degree and worked as a countryside ranger and botanical surveyor. When not out spotting wildlife of any type, she enjoys cycling and attempting to be self-sufficient in vegetables.

Matt Wheeldon
Matt is a chartered civil engineer with over 30 years of experience working in water and wastewater in the UK and overseas. He is a strong advocate for policy/legislation and regulation that harnesses and mimics nature and follows source-control principles. He has worked extensively with politicians, national and local Government and environmental organisations to bring a common-sense and sustainable approach, via simple language and examples, for water management in both new and existing development so mankind can tread more lightly on planet earth.

Maria Grant
Maria is an Associate Landscape Planner at LUC, based in Bristol. With over 10 years of experience in landscape practice, she has contributed to several award-winning projects, recognised by the Landscape Institute. She has also supported a range of research commissions for Natural England, including work to update the LCA approach and on identifying locally valued landscapes. Maria has extensive experience producing landscape evidence, particularly for the Dorset area, including landscape character assessments and studies on landscape and heritage sensitivity to housing and renewable development. She has also contributed to Green Belt assessments in the area.

LUC is an award-winning, employee-owned environmental consultancy, celebrating its 60th year of delivering better outcomes for nature, people, and places. Its multidisciplinary teams work across planning, landscape, design, ecology, and geospatial services to address complex land-use challenges and support climate resilience and nature recovery across the UK.

Outside of work, Maria enjoys wildlife-friendly gardening, crafting and exploring the countryside that inspires her work.

Cllr Nick Ireland
Originally from Liverpool, Nick holds a Master’s degree in Software Engineering from Imperial College and has worked in the software industry for 38 years.

Nick represents Crossways Ward on Dorset Council, where he serves as Leader of both the Council and the Liberal Democrat Group. At the inaugural meeting of Dorset Council in 2019, he successfully proposed the declaration of a Climate Emergency, followed by a Declaration of a Nature Emergency in 2024. His Cabinet responsibilities include Climate, Performance and Safeguarding.

In addition to his role on Dorset Council, Nick is a board member of the Dorset Local Nature Partnership and sits on the boards of Great South West and NHS Dorset.

Cllr Millie Earl
Millie is a local government politician with 15 years’ experience in political, social and environmental campaigning. She was elected to BCP Council in 2019 and, in 2024, became Leader of the Council having served as Deputy Leader for a year prior. Having been born and lived most of her life in the ward she represents, Millie found herself interested in politics through seeing and experiencing social problems and inequality in her own community, particularly in access to education, housing, and public services.

In her role as Leader of BCP Council, Millie takes a strategic approach to making the Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole area a great place to live, work and invest, and her key goal is unlocking the full potential of the three towns through place-based regeneration, cross-sector collaboration and sustainable growth.