How many of these houses would be truly affordable, or for social rent?

What’s going on...? Developers often avoid building affordable/social housing in their developments. They claim it would make their whole scheme ‘financially unviable’. The 5 acre Dorchester Prison site, which will have no affordable/social housing, is a classic example. To avoid the legal fees associated with an appeal by developers, Dorset Council rarely challenge this practice. » … Continue reading How many of these houses would be truly affordable, or for social rent? →

The tax loophole that will allow the Ilchester Estate to make millions.

The tax loophole that will allow the Ilchester Estate to make millions out of the North Dorchester development. It’s the last day for responses to the Government’s latest proposals to reform the planning system, to “level up” and solve the housing crisis, if you believe the spin. The proposals include zoning land (at a large scale) … Continue reading The tax loophole that will allow the Ilchester Estate to make millions. →

STAND walk arranged in conjunction with the Thomas Hardy Society

On Sunday (25th October) 17 people joined a walk, led jointly by STAND and the Thomas Hardy Society, across much of the countryside threatened by the development north of Dorchester. Field behing the Sun Inn.This field lies immediately behind and to the north of the Sun Inn in Lower Burton. An arm of the proposed … Continue reading STAND walk arranged in conjunction with the Thomas Hardy Society →

Q&A Full Council Public Participation

15 October 2020 Question 1 Submitted by: Geoffrey Chopping The Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government produced a white paper entitled PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE in August 2020. The paper suggests some radical proposals to reform the planning process, in order to speed up the planning process, with land being classified as: Growth Areas; … Continue reading Q&A Full Council Public Participation →

Something else STAND supporters need to be aware of…

Garden Communities, like the one being proposed for North of Dorchester, are not as green and sustainable as their proponents would have us believe. Listen again to the BBC Radio 4 “Costing The Earth” broadcast on Wednesday 16th September 2020 and called “Build, Build, Build”. Much of the programme was based on the recently published … Continue reading Something else STAND supporters need to be aware of… →

Public Questions – Cabinet 8 September 2020

STAND and its supporters are exploring every avenue to try to make Dorset Council reconsider their current Local Plan proposals which include this massive development immediately across the Frome water meadows north of Dorchester. Of the seven questions asked at the last Dorset Council cabinet meeting, five were asked on behalf of STAND. You may note … Continue reading Public Questions – Cabinet 8 September 2020 →

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Dorchester Before and After

The photo is taken from the tower of St Peter’s Church in the centre of Dorchester. The view is to the north east and looks over the water meadows of the river Frome to the gently rising ground of the Dorset Downs beyond. The CGI depicts what a small part of the North of Dorchester … Continue reading Dorchester Before and After →

CPRE Report – Dorset Housing Needs Evidence 2020

The long-awaited Report into Dorset’s Housing Needs, commissioned by the Dorset branch of the CPRE, has now been released and makes for very interesting and important reading. It challenges the Government’s figures for the number of houses to be built in Dorset and suggests that only half the number are actually needed. We can only … Continue reading CPRE Report – Dorset Housing Needs Evidence 2020 →

Campaign group welcomes intervention of West Dorset MP in controversial housing plans

The group opposed to the proposed 3,500 housing development north of Dorchester have welcomed last week’s statement in the House of Commons by Chris Loder, the Member of Parliament for West Dorset. Addressing the house he expressed his opposition to the development and called upon the government to instead encourage growth in the rural economy, … Continue reading Campaign group welcomes intervention of West Dorset MP in controversial housing plans →

Local MP voices opposition to the North of Dorchester Garden Community in the House of Commons.

Chris Loder (Member of Parliament for West Dorset) mentions the North Dorchester development threat when speaking about Stamp Duty changes. His comments come just after the 2 minute mark of this youtube recording of his speech.