Details of an outline plan for up to 140 homes at Crossways will be discussed by West Dorset planners this week.

The Woodsford Farms application for land west of Frome Valley Road includes more than a third of the homes being ‘affordable’ with the site having a children’s play area and a nature-friendly ‘green space’.

The 11-hectare site is north west of Crossways and is one of the ‘preferred option’ sites for housing in the Local Plan.

Permission on the same site for 85 homes was first granted in 2016.

Crossways parish council has questioned whether the site is able to take an increase from the previously agreed 85 homes to 140. It also suggests that the site should have pedestrian and cycle links to the village.

The district planning committee, which meets in Dorchester on August 16, will hear that eight letters of objection include worries about too many homes on the site, being ‘out of keeping’ with the area; highway safety and being outside the village development boundary.

None of the objections are backed up by statutory consultees.

A report from the district council planning team to councillors says that the higher number of homes is more appropriate than the previous proposal.

“This density increase would allow a more continuous frontage onto Frome Valley Road. A better frontage onto this road would assist in the assimilation of the proposed development into the area,” says the officer report.

Planning officers recommend that the additional homes ought to be allowed and welcome the provision of affordable homes and say: “We can find no clear reason to refuse this application, nor any adverse impacts that would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits when assessed against the policies of the NPPF (National Planning Policy Framework) when taken as a whole.”

They suggest the head of planning is delegated to approve the details of the application is approved.