AN 18-home development has been agreed for a site off Acreman Street, Cerne Abbas.

It follows a refusal for a similar scheme two years ago.

It will use the one hectare paddock of a 1950s' bungalow known as ‘Swanhills’ which will be retained, although existing garages will be demolished and replaced.

A total of 42 extra car parking spaces will be provided on the site, a ten-fold increase.

The proposal comes from Applecourt Ltd and M&G Development who are proposing three 2-bed homes, six 3-bed and 3 of four or more bedrooms, all for open market sale, with six ‘affordable’ homes, all two-bed, a mixture of cottage-style properties and flats.

The application follows on from a 19-home proposal for the site which was refused in May 2022 with the new plan reducing the height and bulk of some properties and offering a new strategy for dealing with surface water from the site.

The plot, to the north of the village centre, is largely surrounded by established belts of deciduous trees, which architects claim will largely shield the development from wider public views, including from the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Several resident wrote to Dorset Council to support the amended scheme saying that they believed it would fit in with other homes in the village and praising a previous development of five homes by Applecourt in Duck Street, close to the village hall.

Cerne Valley Parish Council supported the application on a majority vote although some councillors had expressed concerns about surface water run-off from the site.