The campaign group, STAND – Save The Area North of Dorchester – tried in vain for a second year in a row to secure a pitch at the upcoming Dorset County Show. We received no response from the Show organisers regarding our application and many telephone calls later we were unable to secure an explanation.
We believe visitors to the County Show should know the full picture regarding the future of the Showground and the surrounding fields between Stinsford and Charminster to the north of Dorchester. The Showground is on the site Dorset Council has identified in their draft Local Plan to build an urban extension of 4,000 houses.
We oppose this massive development on the Showground site and across the fields north of Dorchester. It would bring the wrong kind of housing to the wrong place with many, many negative consequences for Dorchester and its surrounding communities – water pollution, increased traffic, increased pressure on hospitals, GP surgeries, schools and dentists, loss of habitat and biodiversity, and the loss of unique cultural and historical heritage associated with the site.
More housing sounds promising given that we need many more truly affordable homes for local young people, families, and those with limited incomes. This proposed development, however, will not address the affordable housing crisis that market towns such as Dorchester and our surrounding rural communities face. This is why we have tried so hard for an opportunity to get this information across to visitors at the County Show.
However, our commitment to our cause remains unwavering. While we may not have a stall at the County Show, we will still be present at this important event. We believe that it’s crucial for visitors to the County Show to be fully informed about the implications of the proposed development in the Showground area and the surrounding fields between Stinsford and Charminster to the north of Dorchester.
See you on Saturday!
STAND won’t have a stall at the Dorset County Show, but we’re still here to share the facts. 🏡 We oppose the proposed 4,000-house development near Dorchester – wrong place, wrong housing. Join us on Aug 2-3, let’s discuss a brighter future! 💪 #STANDforDorchester #CommunityUnity
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