Housing development near Dorset's Wolfeton House rejected

An earlier application, for up to 120 homes, which was also turned down by local planners, went to appeal in 2019 and was then thrown out.

Developers Land Value Alliances claimed their latest application met all of the previous objections to the larger scheme, has economic benefits for the area and would have created more affordable homes.

Objections to both proposals have included the Thomas Hardy Society who say the setting of Wolfeton, one of the county’s most important historic homes, featured by Hardy, would be ruined by the development. More than 130 had written to Dorset Council to object to the application.

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The Thimbleby family, which has spent decades preserving the grade 1 listed building, have stood with village residents in opposing the development on the site, which is known locally as The Strawberry Field.

View towards the development site from Wolfeton House

In his letter to Dorset Council Richard Thimbleby summed up the views of many residents: “It is very disappointing that a further planning application has been made for Westleaze on this scale. There is no significant material difference between this application, and the one that has been rejected at great time, cost and stress to everyone who stood to be affected. All the reasons why the previous application was rejected equally apply to this one.”

• Read more: Controversial housing development plans will 'ruin' historic Dorset site

Charminster parish council said, in its objection, that ‘considerable harm’ would be done by the homes on the setting of Wolfeton and the village conservation area.

Westleaze viewed from the south

“This land forms part of an important open space down to the water meadows from the village and as a buffer between Charminster and Dorchester and has been designated as land of local landscape importance (LLLI) within the current Adopted Local Plan due to its positive contribution to the character and setting of Dorchester,” said the parish council, adding its concerns about the extra traffic the homes would bring.

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Historic England maintained its objection although acknowledging that fewer homes, some moved back from Wolfeton and additional tree planting, would lessen the impact compared to the original proposals, but concluded: “However, the overall effect would still be harmful. The development would still be visible on the rising land above Wolfeton, when the house is approached via the principal driveway across the water meadows to the South. The rural isolation of the property would be irreversibly affected…this is a Grade I listed building, one of the finest houses in Dorset, and a heritage asset of the very highest significance.”