A huge development of 500 homes and employment land which will transform a community is set to take a major step forward today.

The vast development, earmarked for farmland at Crossways, also includes a new village hall and village green, doctor's surgery, car parking, allotments, two pumping stations, landscaping features and large areas of managed open space.

The scheme covers a total area of 44 hectares – the size of the Vatican City in Rome – and would effectively create another 'half' of Crossways.

It is the latest development for the ever-growing area which was once home to an RAF base but only started developing as a community in the 1970s.

The plan for the land south of Warmwell Road has been a few years in the making with residents having some input regarding the location of the development and what will be provided.

Dorset Echo:

Part of the land for the scheme pictured above

It would provide the village with a proper 'heart', something it currently lacks, and would also introduce safety features on the busy Warmwell Road.

The plan from Cavendish & Gloucester Properties (C&G) is in two parts – full planning permission for 99 homes and community facilities and outline planning for 401 homes and employment land.

The outline application would provides homes on land to the east of the Hybris Business Park and south of Summer Farm.

The hybrid plan covering the whole development is being recommended for approval at a West Dorset District Council planning meeting today subject to an agreement which binds the developer to make a number of community contributions.

This includes providing affordable housing within the development (35 per cent) with a 50/50 split between rented and shared ownership/low-cost affordable housing. This figure could be revisited as the scheme progresses.

The developer would also make a £2.7m education contribution to help local schools including Frome Valley First School and St Mary's Puddletown which will need to be extended to accommodate extra pupils.

Like many areas in Crossways, the site sits on sand and gravel deposits so there is a separate plan to extract up to 131,000 tonnes from part of the land. Dorset County Council is asking for this to be done before the site is "sterilised" by the development.

Community facilities provided in the scheme include a new village hall, which would be the "key focal point" for the development whilst also serving as a hub for the wider village. There would also be a doctor's surgery incorporating a pharmacy.

A 'garden suburb' concept of design is envisaged for the development including tree-lined streets, attractive spaces and an entrance 'piazza' designed to resemble the shape of a spitfire when viewed from above in a nod to Crossways' RAF history.

A report to the planning committee says the proposed detailed layout will "bring forward an identifiably new chapter in the development of the village introducing a fresh character to the settlement".

Sport England objects to the plan, stating there is insufficient sports facilities include din the development.

It indicates that a population of 1,100 would generate a demand for sports halls, swimming pools, indoor bowls and artificial grass activities. The population of the proposed development is estimated to be 1,200 people.

The district council officers support the plan – although there is concern that the size of the employment land (2.5 hectares) does not tally with the provision set out in the local plan.

The recommendation is to approve with conditions attached.