A PLAN for 32 affordable homes on a field off Mandeville Road, Weymouth, has been refused.

The field, leading to what was once Value House, has been the subject of several applications to build over recent years – varying from 90 to 36 homes.

Each has been rejected with many residents and local councillors claiming the open field is needed to separate Wyke Regis and Lanehouse.

Among the objections has been the impact on the Heritage Coast, drainage and traffic concerns and the effect the extra homes would have on the ecology of the area.

The latest outline, or ‘in principal’ proposal, from Mr JB George, was for 32 ‘affordable’ 3-bed starter homes. The previous application, made last year was for 36 homes, a third of them classed as affordable.

A planning agent for Mr George said the new proposal would not be an isolated or sporadic development but would in-fill the section between the existing bungalow and new homes on the Value House site to the north-west and Mandeville Close.

But Dorset Council’s planning team have rejected the proposal saying that developing the site would result in “a harmful impact on the character, special qualities and natural beauty of the Heritage Coast.”

Said a summary report from the planning case officer looking at the application: “The proposal fails to contribute positively to the maintenance and enhancement of local distinctiveness through the urbanising encroachment of development, eroding the integrity of the open undeveloped tract of land separating the Wyke and Lanehouse settlements. Furthermore, it would have a detrimental effect on views from public rights of way.”

The officer also said there was no legal agreement in place to secure the affordable homes and an acceptable surface water strategy for the site had not been submitted, while proposals for ecological mitigation measures had not been updated.

The previous application in early 2022 led to a petition with more than 145 signatures, with objections from Chickerell Town Council, which had again objected to the latest plan.

It says the site is not within the Defined Development Boundary and claims that while the site if just outside the recognised Wildlife Corridor it will still cause significant disruption for wildlife while extra traffic along Camp Road will add to the disturbance to local residents.