Almost 300 attended a public drop in at Preston Village Hall to hear proposals for the Southdown Ridge site.

The site, identified as Wey 14 in the Local Plan Review, is a preferred site for around 175 new homes with access via Wyke Oliver Close, Budmouth Avenue and Brackendown Avenue.

Residents claim that the land is unsuitable for housing with underground springs making the site wet, even in a drought, and liable to landslips. There is also concerned over the proposed road access points and the additional traffic any development will bring to the area.

Those objecting to the site say the council appeared surprised by the large numbers attending the event and ran out of public comment forms half-way through the session – leaving late arrivals without.

A statement from a residents’ group said: “The officials present, including local councillors, were unable to satisfactorily answer the barrage of questions and concerns raised by the local community.”

The group also says: “Residents provided many new pieces of information such as the area was once called ‘Seven Springs’. This would help explain the issues locals have highlighted on numerous occasions to the council, who appear not to be listening.“

The group say that they were not offered an explanation how the area that had been deemed not suitable for building as recently as 2016 but had now become a preferred option.

It also alleges that a number of Freedom of Information requested, relating to the site and the planning review process submitted by residents, have remained unanswered after more than 30 working days.

Local councillor James Farquharson, who attended the drop-in, says he supports the idea of considering the site and says if the drainage difficulties are insurmountable the Environment Agency will say so.

In a statement he says: “This development would be an increment to an existing housing estate that was built over recent decades on what was once presumably a beautiful sloping hillside overlooking a marsh and Weymouth Bay.”

He is sceptical about the fears of increased traffic claiming: “If traffic increases even tenfold in the estate because of this development, we will cope.”

He adds: “I’ve also received comments about flooding. Please bear in mind that this is a process of consultation and not yet an agreement to proceed. The Environment Agency will be an influential consultee. If they say this concern is valid and cant be managed, then the proposal will not progress.”

“In summary, as far as this development goes, I’m predisposed to be a YIMBY, Yes In My Backyard. “

+The public consultation stage for all the local plan revision options began this week (August 13th ) and will include a further Weymouth area presentation on September 12th at Redlands. The public consultation phase ends on October 8th.

Public comments and the revised plan options can be seen online at: www.dorsetforyou.com/local-plan-review