CAMPAIGNING against plans for 3,500 new homes north of Dorchester has stepped up a gear.

An independent group is calling for signatures to a petition against the proposals while the local Conservative group is asking local people to identify other local sites where new homes could be built.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats both have their doubts about the scheme, which is bigger than Poundbury, and say that if it is built homes on the site should be genuinely affordable.

Kate Hebditch, from STAND, the Save The Area North of Dorchester from development, says the scheme would change the county town forever and is not justified.

“The proposed development would take out a huge swathe of countryside and change Dorchester’s character deeply and irrevocably. There is no binding agreement for affordable housing on this site; indeed, if the development also includes building roads, schools and surgeries, will it become ‘unviable’ in the developers eyes to include any affordable houses at all? This is damaging to Dorchester with no guarantee it would answer any of our real housing needs,” she said.

She says that consideration ought to be given to switching some of the homes to key villages to help support their facilities.

The group has an online petition against the proposals which reached 500 signatures in a few days.

It can be found at https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stand-save-the-area-north-of-dorchester

West Dorset Conservatives say in their latest InTouch leaflet that they too are worried about Dorchester getting 60 per cent of the housing allocation for the whole of West Dorset for the coming years.

“This development would destroy the unique rural setting of Dorchester and add enormously to its traffic congestion...this development would also destroy good agricultural land and, situated as it would be on the far side of the flood plain, could never be a cohesive part of the town even if cycle path links and a bus shelter were provided.”

The group says the homes should be dispersed around the area to support the rural community: “This will enable new residents to integrate into existing communities, which would as a consequence be strengthened, rather than parking them into a soulless new urban sprawl...we believe sites exist in the Dorchester area which could be developed with less harmful impact on landscape, heritage and environment than the Slyers Lane site.”

Independent Dorchester councillor, Alistair Chisholm, a local tourist guide, says the uniqueness of the area, recognised by Thomas Hardy, is “an essential part of Dorchester’s charm in both real and literary terms; I doubt there are many, if any, towns that have retained a boundary set by the Romans nearly 2000 years ago.”

“Just as northern Council planning committees have stopped the desecration of “Bronte Country’, because they realise its present and future value to visitors, so too we should respect and preserve this singular feature of the county town which will prove to be of inestimable long-term value.”

Dorchester Liberal Democrat councillors have taken a neutral stand in their 'Focus' newsletter asking residents to put forward their views although several, individual, councillors have expressed their concerns about the site of the development and whether or not enough genuinely affordable homes, can be provided, including town councillor Janet Hewitt and town and district councillor Tim Harries.

Claudia Sorin of Dorchester Labour Party said," In the Local Plan for Dorchester North the council states that at least 35% of the homes delivered should be affordable without spelling out how they will make developers do this and what they mean by affordable is not clear.

“There is a need to build genuinely affordable housing and 20% lower than market value is not genuinely affordable in West Dorset Dorchester residents, particularly younger people, need stable tenancies through organisations such as housing associations or community land trusts, which are closer to 50% of market rates (currently around £600 p/m for a one bed flat).”

The scheme is being put forward by developers headed by Persimmon Homes and Grainger PLC who staged a two-day public exhibition on their proposals in Dorchester last week. Their proposals can be seen at - www.northdorchester.org.uk

Public comments on the Local Plan Review, which will shape development in the area up to 2036, can be made to West Dorset District Council until October 8th.

The proposals can be viewed at www.dorsetforyou.com/local-plan-review

Cllr Ian Gardner, West Dorset District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Planning, said: “There is a real need for the development of further homes in Dorchester, highlighted by the Planning Inspectorate in their comments on our current local plan.

“The town has significantly more jobs than economically active resident with the many workers commuting into the town by car on a daily basis. One of the challenges for this local plan review is to try and improve the balance between housing and jobs in this area.

“We believe this new ‘urban extension’ to the north of the town would help improve this balance and provide a number of benefits for local residents once complete. This includes around 1,000 affordable homes – prioritised for local people, provision for healthcare facilities such as GPs and dental surgeries, ten hectares of employment space to support businesses and expanded school provision at first, middle and higher school levels.

“The development would have detailed master planning, setting out an identity for the area which would be in keeping with Dorchester’s heritage. A large area of the site is also earmarked as green space, providing protection and enhancement of local water meadows and community facilities such as sports pitches and allotments.

“Failing to include suitable development sites for Dorchester could mean that the overall Local Plan might not be approved. This would mean the council have a reduced say on applications, including what infrastructure is provided."