What is proposed by Dorset Council?
The Local Authority is required by Government to identify additional sites in Dorset for housing, so that 39,000 houses can be built. In their review of the Local Plan they have suggested land to the north of Dorchester should be allocated for building over 4,000 houses. You can find the full document here.
But not everything in a Garden Community is rosy as the following two links demonstrate.
» Transport for New Homes
» Smart Growth Report Garden Communities: Why Communities Say No
The new Dorset Council will make the decision about the allocation of housing land in the revised Local Plan. The new authority took over on 1 April 2019 and you can find details about the Council here.
Where is the site?
The proposed area is an arc of land from Charminster round to Stinsford, taking in the area just north of the watermeadows and the River Frome. It is a substantial area – at least one and a half times the size of the Duchy’s Poundbury development.
How much housing do we need?
We do need more affordable housing, but there is no guarantee that there will be any significant commitment from the developers to providing it. The North Dorchester Consortium of developers and landowners is backed by Persimmon plc and Grainger plc. Persimmon is one of the UK’s biggest housebuilders and Grainger is one of the largest private rental companies in the country.
CPRE (Council for the Protection of Rural England) have produced their own independent assesment of Dorset housing requirements. You can view their report here.
We think that local community land trusts are better placed to provide housing for local people.
What would the benefits be to Dorchester?
There is a summary of the pros and cons for Dorchester in the Town Council’s report here. STAND believes that there would be very few real benefits for the town – and significant damage.
If I want to protest about the proposal to build over 39,000 houses plus infrastructure on the countryside north of Dorchester how do I go about it?
The first public consultation on the new Dorset Council Local Plan will take place in September 2020. You can tell Dorset Council what you think on their proposal by writing to:
Local Plan Consultation, South Walks House,
South Walks Road, Dorchester DT1 1UZ
or by email to strategic@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
You might also want to send a copy to your local councillor.
How do I find the documents about this proposal?
You can read the documents that contribute to the Local Plan here.
Where could the housing go instead?
The brownfield sites’ register for the West Dorset area is here.