More than 100 objections to Broadmayne development plan

More than a hundred letters have been lodged, most of them objections.

Among them is a call from the parish council for Dorset Council to reject the application. It says to build on the Broadmead site would be contrary to a series of Local Plan policies, including building outside the defined development boundary for the village.

“In the view of the Parish Council, 90 new houses, an increase in approximately 15% over the existing number of houses, is not development at an appropriate scale,” said a parish statement.

The outline application for the 34 acre farmland site includes parking for more than 200 cars, open spaces including allotments and an enhanced drainage scheme.

The application has been lodged by Southern Strategic Land LLP.

The developers say they would like to build 19 two-bed, 35 three-bed and 5 four-bed open market homes with 4 one-bed, 20 two-bed and 7 three-bed ‘affordable’ properties.

The site itself is an area of open farmland with housing on three side to the south of the A352 on the western edge of the village – the field closest to the village will be used for the housing scheme with the further field maintained as an natural open area, described in the proposal as “a country park” with its own parking area.

Access to the housing site would be off Broadmead to the eastern side of the development field with a temporary road into the site for construction traffic through the northern field, part of which is in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Proposed site layout

Overall it says that almost 48 per cent who attended an exhibition in the village hall last October were supportive of the scheme with 30% opposed.

Among the letters of objection are calls for the scheme to be rejected unless the village facilities are improved, including a better bus service; that the access to the site could be dangerous; that the site is prone to flooding; more cars would lead to greater congestion especially on Chalky Road and the scheme would produce additional pressure on local schools and GP services.

Among those in support is Elaine Knight from Main Street who wrote: “I feel this development is vital to the village. Too many houses in the village are priced out of the range for local people who are then forced to move elsewhere. I do however feel it is important that a number of these homes are shared ownership and ring-fenced for applicants with a village connection. Many village residents live in social housing and are currently unable to afford a property locally. This would provide a means to allow these residents to purchase their own home and free up the home they are currently living in for other families requiring social housing.”

A previous, smaller application for 30 homes on part of the site was rejected in 2015, primarily because of concerns over the road junction with Rectory Road, although the council case officer had said at the time that the principle of housing on the site was acceptable in his view.

The latest scheme include suggestions about how best to deal with traffic to and from the site, including possible improvements to the Rectory Road junction.

Illustrative street scene – courtesy Southern Strategic Land & Bright Space Architects