A 200-HOME development south of Bay Road at Gillingham for Persimmon Homes has been rejected because of the risk of harm to an ancient Royal deer park and its former buildings.

The 12 hectare scheme, to the east of the town within the hamlet of Bay, has been under consideration since May 2019 -  delayed while experts tried to assess the significance of the surrounding area.

Dorset Council now say the scheme, which included cycle and pedestrian links, public open spaces and flood ponds, would cause ‘substantial harm’ to the remains of East Haimes House and the adjacent section of a former medieval Royal deer park.

The refusal also cites the character and nature of Bay Road as a means of access and the design of the scheme which the council says does not take into account the Bay ‘Character Area.’

Dorset Echo: 200 homes at Gillingham. Picture: Persimmon Homes200 homes at Gillingham. Picture: Persimmon Homes

The application has been open since May 2019 and attracted more than a hundred public comments at the time.

Among the concerns was the need for a proper archaeological field evaluation of the site, including digging trial trenches.

Senior Dorset Council archaeologist Steve Wallis said in a recent report that these investigations should take place before the application for housing was decided because the site has considerable importance.

“A desk-based assessment has highlighted the presence of part of Gillingham's Medieval deer park in the eastern part of the application site. Part of the deer park's boundary outside the site is protected as a Scheduled Monument, and it could be argued that the whole deer park is of national importance. (The scheduled King's Court Palace also lies within the deer park boundary)” said the archaeologist in a response to planning officers.

Historic England raised similar concerns pointing out that since the earlier consultation the site of East Haimes House had been added to the national Schedule of Ancient Monuments – the house was first mentioned in 1431 as the home of the fee forester of the Gillingham Royal Deer Park, the park itself dating back to at least 1228.

It suggested that the scheme should be refused to protect the site and setting.

Objections to the proposal had also come from Gillingham town council and Motcombe parish council with the majority of a hundred people who wrote in also against the development.

Town and parish councillors say they were concerned about extra traffic on inadequate roads, poor design, landscaping, layout and the effect on the Gillingham Royal Forest Area.