PLANS for a development of new homes in Weymouth have taken another step forward as a developer seeks approval for the design of the buildings.

Planning permission was granted in 2018 for 58 homes on land south of Louviers Road, Littlemoor - and in May this year developers submitted another request to increase the number of homes at the site to 66, which is still being considered by Dorset Council.

Now, documents have been submitted on behalf of Aster Communities seeking to agree the outstanding matters for developing the site - including how the buildings will look and materials to be used, as well as landscaping and outdoor areas.

Plans show there will be a mixture of single storey bungalows, two storey houses and a 'modest' three storey apartment block.

The new homes are mostly two storey and are either detached, semi-detached, terraced or flats. The roofs will mostly be front to back with some units having full gables fronting public areas to add visual interest and break up the massing.

Other variations to add visual interest include roof gables and projecting bay windows. The proposed materials for the new homes are similar to those in the neighbouring area.

If approved, the entire 2.5 acre site is to be surrounded by a 1.8 metre high red brick wall.

The developers say the latest expansion of Littlemoor will have an extensive area of public open space in the centre of the site, linking into another open area on the western edge behind a block of flats. There is also an area for ecology planting located on the northern boundary next to the entrance to the adjacent housing site.

Other big housing schemes are planned for the future north of the main road which could eventually bring an extra 500 homes to the area.

While there have been no objections so far to this latest planning application, the developer's request to increase the size of the development has proven controversial. It has been met by significant opposition from residents and local councillors amid concerns about increased pressure on nearby schools, GP surgery and roads as well as overdevelopment in Littlemoor.

Objections have also been made by neighbours who are unhappy about the development on land previously earmarked to become part of a new Lorton Valley Nature Park in Dorset Council's latest Local Plan document.

Public comments are open until Thursday via Dorset Council's website using the reference P/RES/2021/02802