PLANS have been unveiled for another vast housing scheme to the west of Weymouth as part of the ever-growing development of Chickerell.

A request has been submitted to West Dorset District Council with a view to submitting a planning application for 470 homes off the Chickerell link road at the bottom of the Granby Industrial Estate.

Developer Persimmon Homes Ltd wants to build a variety of one to four bedroom detached, semi-detached and terraced dwellings (including affordable housing).

There will also be land for a primary school and associated car parking and pedestrian routes throughout the site.

Meetings were held between Persimmon Homes and council planners between 2008 and November 2014 when the site was examined to be part of the Weymouth and West Dorset District Council local plan for housing with further pre-planning discussions taking place in 2015.

Cllr Ian Gardner, Chickerell councillor and portfolio holder for planning at West Dorset District Council, said: "The development was an allocated site in the local plan which is due to be brought forward for development."

He added that the council have to provide a certain number of homes as set out by central government which would be addressed through the allocated sites.

The proposal comes as the council, together with North Dorset District Council and Weymouth & Portland Borough Council, encourage more development under their Opening Doors campaign.

Their target is to see developers build 20,000 more good quality homes of all tenures across the council areas by 2033.

Cllr Tim Yarker, housing portfolio holder for West Dorset District Council, added: “Opening Doors aims to encourage developers to bring more housing schemes forward and to build out these planning applications as soon as reasonably possible if consent is gained.

“Like many other areas, West Dorset has a housing shortage so schemes of different kinds, whether at the larger end of the spectrum, or on a smaller scale are welcome.”

The roads scheme would form part of the £1.5 million Chickerell Urban Extension project which would see the town's internal road network developed further to unlock 750 homes around the town.

The investment from the Government's Housing Infrastructure Fund will fund key local infrastructure projects including new roads, cycle paths, flood defences and land remediation work, all essential ahead of building the homes.

Part of this will see a creation of a fourth arm to the existing Chickerell link road (B3157) and Hampshire Road.

A screening option which is being applied for is an early stage planning procedure which would determine whether an environmental impact assessment is required as part of a planning application.

An application prepared on behalf of Persimmon by planning consultants Pegasus Group says: "The key test for the council is whether the proposed development would lead to significant environmental effects.

"The applicant asserts that the proposed development would be a mixed-use urban development which would not lead to significant environmental effects."

A spokesman for Persimmon Homes South Coast, added: “We are progressing an application for a residential development on the east side of Chickerell, which is part of the Chickerell Urban Extension that was allocated in the West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland Local Plan (2015).

“Our proposals will deliver much-needed housing, a new link road from the Chickerell (link road ) to School Hill, a new primary school and public open space and support local jobs.

“The submitted screening opinion is the first stage in the planning process, and it is our intention to continue to engage with the local authority through the pre-application process, and with members of the public through a public exhibition later in the year.”

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