A PIONEERING low cost housing scheme being lined up for Prince Charles' Poundbury looks set to fall at the first hurdle.

A range of affordable housing was being lined up for the latest phase of development on the prestigious estate.

But planners are recommending the scheme is turned down because it is outside the current defined development boundary.

Developer Kim Slowe, director of Dorchester-based Cornhill Estates, proposed the homes as part of a 12-house, nine-apartment and four-shop development off Peverell Avenue East, on land included in the third phase of devlopment at Poundbury.

Under the proposals, which will come before West Dorset planning chiefs on Thursday, there would be five houses for a self-build, shared equity scheme where the shell of a house can be bought for an estimated £75,000 for the purchaser to finish - they would be able to buy the house outright five years after it is completed.

There would be three apartments for rent from the Duchy of Cornwall and three apartments to buy for no more than three-and-a-half times average earnings, which can only be sold for the same.

Mr Slowe said he hoped the scheme, if approved, could be the blueprint for similar developments across the country.

In a report to Thursday's meeting of West Dorset District Council's development control east committee, planning officer Andrew Martin is recommending the scheme is turned down for being premature.

Writing in a report to the committee Mr Martin said that although Mr Slowe accepts that the site is outside the defined development boundary he believes it could still be included in the next West Dorset local plan.

He said: "It might be tempting to assume that the forthcoming local plan inquiry will be nothing more than a rubber stamping exercise as far as Poundbury is concerned and that the next phase of the development is a fait accompli.

"But it would be wrong to make that assumption and it would be very dismissive of those who are expecting their objections to the expansion of Poundbury to be given a proper hearing through the local plan process.

"It is important that the continuing development of Poundbury is rigorously examined in the context of both current Government guidance and ongoing local concerns and it would be inadvisable to pre-empt that process by allowing piecemeal development of the next phase."

Mr Martin is recommending planners turn the plan down on the grounds that it is outside the development boundary and it pre-empts the local plan inquiry.