Almost 70 homes are under consideration by Dorset Council for two, linked, sites in Bere Regis.

The development, off Back Lane and North Street, would include a 4.5hectare nature site linking the two areas either side of Butt Lane, if Dorset Council approve the plans.

The site will include a bund, to help mask the traffic noise from the A35 which is immediately to the north behind a belt of trees.

The plans have been submitted by Wyatt Homes which claims the sites to be “a natural expansion of the village” and say the idea of developing the area is backed in the Neighbourhood Plan for the village and has been framed by consultations with the parish council and at a public meetings in July 2023.

A range of different houses are proposed for the two sites, many picking up cottage-style features found elsewhere in the village.

Talks about the proposals for more than 50 homes off Back Lane with access from West Street date back almost five years with pre-application advice sought from Dorset Council in August 2020 for homes off North Street.

The proposals for the Back Lane site is for 52 homes, ranging from one and two-bed apartments, 22 two-bed homes; 19 three-bed and 9 four-bed.

Fifteen homes are proposed for North Street with 1 two-bed apartment, 12 three-bed houses and 2 four-bed.

Twenty ‘affordable’ homes are included in the proposals for Back Lane and six for North Street, subject to viability, with the exact details to be agreed later.

Together the sites will provide parking for 158 cars.

Wyatt homes say the natural area will be open to anyone and will encourage people to walk and use it for other exercise as a way of reducing pressure on the Dorset heathlands. It will include walking routes and a variety of features, including wildlife meadows, open space, native trees and scrub planting, areas of woodland and occasional seating areas.

Bere Regis parish council has no objections to the application but says it would like assurances on concerns raised by residents about the risk of flooding, parking, sewage and ground water run-off.

It has also asked for all construction traffic for the North Street site to go via the existing gate at the Shell Garage end with construction traffic for the Back Lane site having to enter and exit via the western end of the village with no construction traffic for either site travelling through the main part of the village along West Street.