DORCHESTER residents are expected to attend in large numbers at a public consultation event in the town this Friday (31st)

The consultation into proposals for what may be 3,500 new homes north of the town is being held at South Walks House between 10am and 7pm.

Proposals for the new development are included in the revision of the Local Plan, a document which guides future development in the area in the coming years.

Opponents say the idea, if it comes about, will be bigger than Poundbury and change the face of the county town forever.

“One of the defining features of Dorchester is the sharp cut off between town and countryside. Once building has been allowed on the slopes beyond the water meadows, what’s to stop the town sprawling over the countryside like Crawley, Basingstoke and other bland towns of the South East? Shouldn’t we be protecting our environment, agriculture and our tourist industry?,” said opponent Kate Hebditch who, with others, has started a group to oppose the changes.

“Although there’s a need for affordable housing, there is no guarantee of how much of such a development would be affordable; recent figures for East Dorset show that 25% of housing there is bought by Londoners. Perhaps development would be better sited at Crossways, where landowners are willing to make land available and people could be given better facilities than they have at present?,” she said.

Council officers will be at the district council headquarters on Friday to explain the proposals and the rationale behind them.

The district council argues that the site is suitable for so many homes and is planning a new road to link the A35 and A37 as well as pedestrian and cycling routes as part of the scheme.

At least one school, shops, recreational facilities and employment land are also envisaged on the site which stretches roughly from the Weirs roundabout on the outskirts of Charminster in a wide arc to the north and then eastward to the Stinsford roundabout near Kingston Maurward College.

Other chances to view the Local Plan proposals take place this today at the St George’s Centre, Portland; on Tuesday, September 4 at Crossways Village Hall; on Thursday 6 at Charminster Village Hall; at Beaminster Town Hall on Friday 7; at Lyme Regis Woodmead Hall on Monday 10; at Redlands Sports Centre, Weymouth on Wednesday 12; at Bridport Leisure Centre on Thursday 13th and at Chickerell’s Willowbed Hall on Friday 14.

Dorchester Town Council’s planning committee is holding a special meeting about the Local Plan on Monday, September 10th at which members of the public will be allowed a limited period to speak.