A special meeting will be held in Dorchester’s Corn Exchange next month – to discuss the proposals for almost 4,000 new homes in the area.

The idea of developing to the north of the town, including at the edge of Charminster, has been put forward in a review of the Local Plan, which will shape future development for the area from 2020.

The special meeting of the Dorchester Town Council planning committee, will take place on Monday, September 10 at 7pm.

Members of the public will be given a limited time to speak at the event.

If finally agreed the site will also include local services including a school, land for employment use, a new A35-A37 link road and pedestrian and cycle routes into Dorchester town centre.

The plan review is currently available for public consultation until early October, after which public responses will be considered and an amended plan produced. This, in turn, will be the subject of a further consultation before going to the final stage.

Initial responses to the proposals have seen a group started to oppose the development and a pledge from the Dorset group of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, that it too will also be in opposition.

Public opinions at the September meeting will help shape a formal response to the proposals by the town planning committee.

Most of the development site lies outside the boundaries of Dorchester and within the parishes of Stinsford, Bradford Peverell and Charminster.