The construction of 4,000 houses on farmland bordering the River Frome presents a significant risk to Dorchester’s water supply. This threat to our drinking water was first highlighted by regional water company Wessex Water. The company says the development could result in pollution of the Eagle Lodge borehole, which provides most of the Dorchester area’s … Continue reading Dorchester drinking water threatened.
STAND at the Dorset County Show 2023
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. … Continue reading STAND at the Dorset County Show 2023
Property, Planning and Protest
https://youtu.be/shgxCeSPnC4 Dorchester’s skimmity ride protest, in which developers and planners were paraded through the town in shame, is featured in a new book Property, Planning and Protest by university lecturer Dr Quintin Bradley. He says: “It is time that we took seriously the opposition to more urban sprawl in the Dorset countryside." In an interview … Continue reading Property, Planning and Protest
Local Plan under the spotlight
Plans for massive development above the water meadows North of Dorchester will come under the spotlight again this month at a public meeting in Dorchester Town Hall on Saturday March 25th at 2.30pm. Speakers will include Wessex Water on the threat to the town’s water supply and Dr Quintin Bradley from Leeds Planning School. Nearly … Continue reading Local Plan under the spotlight
Dorchester’s water supply under threat
STAND is calling on Dorset Council to suspend work on the proposed development north of Dorchester after Wessex Water expressed major concerns that the 4,000-house development could have a significant negative impact on the quality of the town’s drinking water. The concerns, emailed by the water company on the eve of a masterplanning workshop were … Continue reading Dorchester’s water supply under threat
Hundreds march against development plans
https://www.youtube.com/embed/zP7VVCj1f7w Paraded in shame: a developer and planner back to back on a donkey re-create Thomas Hardy's Skimmity Ride from the Mayor of Casterbridge. The crowd march in protest at Dorset’s local plan proposal to build a town of 4000 houses above Dorchester’s water meadows. They believe Dorset Deserves Better - much better. The town, … Continue reading Hundreds march against development plans
Stand brings Skimmity back to Dorchester!
Our campaign, opposing plans to build 4,000 houses in Stinsford parish is staging protest march through Dorchester on Saturday, April 2. It will feature a recreation of one of Thomas Hardy’s most memorable scenes – the Skimmity Ride from The Mayor of Casterbridge. Sometimes referred to as a Skimmington Ride, this rural tradition was intended … Continue reading Stand brings Skimmity back to Dorchester!
Just another “Public comment”?
On Thursday 15th July STAND submitted its Petition against the development of the DOR 13 site, with over 5000 signatures, to Dorset Council. We were hoping this would trigger a full debate in Dorset Council on this particular site. However the Council decided to treat our Petition as another Public Comment on the Local Plan and … Continue reading Just another “Public comment”?
Archaeologists dig in over planning reforms row
Historical discoveries could be at risk if government does not put archaeology at the heart of its new planning reforms, experts have warned. Archaeologists, academics and professional bodies have launched a campaign to ensure their work with developers remains a legal requirement. Read the BBC article
Update on STAND campaign, 26 May 2021
Good people and supporters of STAND Many thanks to all of you who wrote to Dorset Council (DC) expressing your objections to the DOR 13 proposal in the draft Dorset Local Plan. For this flawed consultation, multiple reports were missing and, as yet, we don’t know when these will be available for public consultation. Read … Continue reading Update on STAND campaign, 26 May 2021