Plans to build thousands of new homes north of Dorchester provoked concerned reactions at a public exhibition.

Officials say the Dorchester north development scheme near Charminster of 3,500 homes would be be an almost self-contained community aimed at younger families, to help meet housing targets for West Dorset.

However, residents who attended an exhibition were concerned that local people would be unable to afford the new houses, and that newcomers to the town would place an extra burden on local roads, schools and medical services.

Dorchester town councillor Molly Rennie said: "We are opposing the policy at this moment in time because we need more detail and reassurance that we can have affordable housing and homes to rent.

"It's a real problem for Dorchester that lots of people work here but can't afford to live in the town, they have to travel from surrounding areas such as Weymouth."

Dorchester resident Laurie Scott said: "Already our schools, hospitals and GP surgeries are bulging at the seams.

"With the council's current track record, why should we believe promises about infrastructure will be kept?"

He added: "Our hospital already cannot cope, and there's planning permission for new retirement homes in Dorchester that will place an extra burden.

"Problems with affordability of housing is a national issue; to say there will be affordable housing is just pretending."

Rodney Alcock said the plans were "utterly destructive", saying: "Building on Thomas Hardy land will mean tourism will fall to pieces.

"Local people on £15-20,000 a year won't be able to afford to live there, so there won't be 35 per cent affordable housing. This is just about private housing development. The only houses we want are affordable houses."

He added: "A hard Brexit could present a greater need for agricultural land. Poundbury was built on prime agricultural land, now it's a retirement ghetto."

Tricia Mitchell of Dorchester commented on the proposals to include 200 acres of open access land.

She said: "The parkland area is already fabulous the way it is. It is already a natural wetland area, what can be improved?

"There won't be affordable houses, they always say that.We need affordable housing, not this stuff they're going to build.

"When they built Poundbury we were sold one thing and got something else – all these people came down from London."

A spokesperson for the consortium presenting the development vision said that the proposal includes services such as shops, purpose built GP medical centres, dentist surgeries and three new schools.

He said: "The vision is to create three neighbourhoods, each with its own amenities so that people will be able to live, work and shop there.

"There will be a diverse range of housing; affordable housing will range from housing association properties to discount schemes."

Addressing residents' concerns about the burden on Dorchester hospital he said that more people moving to the area would place a greater demand on local NHS services, and that this would mean the NHS would be more likely to invest money in the area.

When asked whether a discussion with the NHS had taken place, he confirmed that a consultation with the Care Commissioning Group would take place as part of the consultation process.