An eleventh hour appeal has been made to try and alter a controversial scheme for up to 120 homes near Dorchester.

The homes plan on land at Charminster near to historic Wolfeton House is being recommended for approval at a meeting tomorrow – despite 170 letters of objection.

The application is for a 6 hectare farm field south of Westleaze, with the nearest existing houses at Broken Cross and Cocklands. To the west of the site is historic Wolfeton House and its Riding House.

Historic England has expressed concerns in a fresh letter to West Dorset planners and suggests moving the houses further away from Wolfeton House, a move which could reduce the number of homes.

It comes after concerns were raised about the impact of the scheme on Wolfeton House by Julian Fellowes in his capacity as president of the Hardy Society.

Protesters claim the site is isolated from the village and that the influx of buyers will overload community facilities and nearby roads, especially East Hill and Broken Cross.

The scheme first came before district councillors in January who decided to visit the site before making a final decision.

Planning officer Jean Marshall is recommending tomorrow's West Dorset planning committee to delegate authority to officers to agree outline permission subject to 35 per cent of the homes being for affordable housing. Any consent would also include a play area and improvements to village pavements.

In a new submission Historic England says it is concerned about the likely effect of the development on Wolfeton House.

It suggests that West Dorset District Council negotiate moving the development boundary further away from Wolfeton House but says it does accept the principle of building in the area: “The limited extent of planting between the development site and Wolfeton will neither entirely screen the development, (particularly in winter), nor mitigate the impact of increased residential activity. As well as the visibility of the houses, this will result in potential disturbance by noise, light spillage and traffic movements to the currently tranquil setting of Wolfeton House.”

It describes the house as one of the most important and historic houses in Dorset and says that the new homes should be further away – which it accepts will mean fewer houses on the site.

“We accept the principle of some development at this location, but believe that it should not be visible from the environs of the house in order to preserve its significance.”

But developer, Land Value Alliances, has told district council officers it is not willing to reduce the number of homes on the site.

Parish councillors have argued that if the application is allowed the development could have a detrimental effect on the emerging Local Plan which looks at future growth in the Dorchester area.

It claims the proposed new homes would have a ‘devastating’ effect on the landscape including the Frome and lower Cerne valleys as well as the setting of historic Dorchester.

Downton Abbey writer Julian Fellowes has spoken out against the scheme in his role as president of the Hardy Society.

As reported, Lord Fellowes wrote to the council with his concerns about the development's impact on Wolfeton House, a country manor that inspired Thomas Hardy.

The house once belonged to the Trenchard family whose name provided inspiration for the flawed character Michael Henchard in Hardy's Mayor of Casterbridge novel.

Lord Fellowes claims the development would 'destroy a major element in Hardy's story'.