Residents and the parish council have objected to plans to build 40 homes in a west Dorset village.

The proposed development in Mosterton has been met with concerns of flooding, safety, transport links and the impact on the local preschool and primary school.

An outline planning application to Dorset Council is for farm land east of The Paddocks and north of Chedington Lane. The site is around the size of two standard football pitches.

Hortons Estate Developments Ltd say the site would be accessed via a new road from The Paddocks, which itself has ten homes, just off the A3066 and Chedington Lane.

A number of objections have been received by Dorset Council.

Resident Cliff Burrough said that the road needs to be made safer before any development goes ahead and residents also raised concerns of the very limited bus service, the No6 which First Wessex announced would cease in May, the preschool and primary school close to capacity and that road crossing in the village is dangerous.

Carolyn Harmer said: “We can see no benefit or need for this development at this time.

“Another 40 house would mean an overall increase in housing within this community of 80 plus over four sites last year - not all of which have been sold yet in any event.

“The infrastructure surrounding us has not improved in line with this, if at all. The village cannot sustain such an increase.”

Resident Jeremy Green also objects and urged for the application to be decided by the planning committee, rather than planning officers.

He said: “This planned development is the largest in Mosterton for 30 years and therefore cannot be approved without due diligence by the elected council.

“The planning statement states that the development to be sustainable, which it’s not due to the lack of local employment, public transport and available places in the local school.

“In conclusion, this development is not sustainable, is outside the designated development boundary and is unnecessary.

Mr Gerald Sivyer raised concerns about flooding after his garaged was flooded as the drains in the lane could not cope with the amount of water running of the site proposed for development.

Guy Tetley, a highways engineer for Dorset Council, said that no development should take place until details of the access, highway layout, turning and parking areas have been submitted and agreed by Dorset Council.

The applicant’s planning statement says: “This proposal provides an exciting opportunity to bring the application site into active residential use to help address local housing need.

“The proposal supports a positive economic, social and environmental dimension and, therefore, comprises sustainable development. Whilst the site is located within the AONB, it has been demonstrated that the proposal will not result in an adverse landscape impact that should outweigh the considerable benefits that would be delivered.

“Crucially, the proposal will also provide 35 per cent affordable housing within Mosterton to help meet an identified local need in accordance with Local Plan Policy HOUS1.”