Sustainable Development
In recent years it has become increasingly evident that mankind is having an enormous
impact on the world's environment. Global issues such as climate change, the damage to the ozone layer
and the extinction of wildlife species, are now well known and are increasingly seen as threats to our
way of life.
Development shapes the places where people live and work and the district we live
in. Responsible planning and environmental management ensures that we get the right development, in
the right place and at the right time. Development makes a positive difference to people's lives and
helps to deliver homes, jobs, and better opportunities for all, whilst protecting and enhancing the
natural and historic environment, and conserving the countryside and open spaces that are vital resources
for everyone in North Dorset. Good planning is a positive and proactive process, operating in the public
interest through a system of plan preparation and control over the development and use of land.
Sustainable development is the core principle underpinning planning. At the heart
of sustainable development is the simple idea of ensuring a better quality of life for everyone, now
and for future generations. A widely used definition was drawn up by the World Commission on Environment
and Development in 1987: "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
The Government has set out four aims for sustainable development. These are:
- social progress which recognises the needs of everyone;
- effective
protection of the environment;
- the prudent use of natural resources; and,
- the
maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment.
The Government's goal for sustainable development is defined as 'enabling all people
throughout the world to satisfy their basic needs and enjoy a better quality of life, without compromising
the quality of life of future generations'.
Key to achieving sustainable development is the integration of social, economic
and environmental goals, as success in one is totally reliant on the others. Good social conditions
require strong economies, strong economies rely on environmental resources, and environmental conditions
are inseparable from our quality of life.
Despite this, each goal has often been pursued independently and success in one
area has worked against others.
The mission of sustainable development is therefore to find ways of pursuing each
goal so that it also supports all of the others. This involves recognising that there are potential
conflicts and searching for means to reduce these, challenging traditional ideas, considering alternative
solutions and finding innovative ways of doing things.
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