Your story “Protest against north of Dorchester development this weekend” (Echo Tuesday March 29th) highlights the huge local concern and opposition to this proposal - and the risk it poses to the area.

The scale of the proposed development is simply huge - 4,000 houses is bigger than the town of Wimborne, so it is a new town of 10,000 people we’re talking about, way bigger than anything seen before.

It will be damaging not just to the environment but to the town and the people who are both here and beyond.

It risks sucking the life out of Dorchester and communities across South and West Dorset for years because all the area’s economic activity will be focussed on this new town development.

Massive infrastructure spending and activity will be needed - new schools, doctors surgeries, community centres, water supply, sewage treatment facilities, new roads.. the list goes on.

Expertise, people and money will be focussed on this area to the detriment of towns and villages across Dorset.

And what’s it all for ?

Housing demand figures from the ONS tell us that there are enough brownfield sites across Dorset to meet our housing needs. No greenfield development is actually needed which leaves me wondering who this huge development is really for?

Alastair Nisbet

Dorchester