THE final phases of the Poundbury development have been given the go-ahead.

Members of West Dorset District Council’s development control committee have granted outline planning permission for phase three and four of the Duchy of Cornwall development, which will include 1,200 homes and a new primary school.

The successful application means the development is now expected to be completed within 15 years.

Work on the first phase of the development started in 1994 and, with building on phase two nearly completed it currently has around 1,000 homes.

The outline application includes proposals for a 450-children primary school, 25,000 square metres of non-residential development and alterations to the Monkey’s Jump roundabout to cater for the increase in traffic.

There is also an agreement to make 35 per cent of the homes available for affordable housing.

At the committee meeting much of the talks surrounded access from Poundbury to the countryside, with ramblers and other groups previously unhappy that a direct route under the A35 for access to Maiden Castle was not originally put forward.

A compromise included in the plan saw an underpass beneath the A35 opened up and, although direct access was not proposed, a new footpath linking with the existing countryside network was put forward.

The plans also included a new recreational path alongside Maiden Castle Road.

Peter Evans from the South Dorset Ramblers said: “We to accept the Duchy have tried to reach a compromise and we welcome the proposed new track alongside Maiden Castle Road.

“Overall we are prepared to accept the recommendations.”

Nicholas Pollock, deputy estates surveyor at the Duchy of Cornwall, told the meeting that the continuation of the Poundbury development would have significant benefits to Dorchester and the surrounding area.

He said it was estimated phases one and two had already boosted the local economy by around £331million and the further development would bring in another £503million.

Mr Pollock said the number of jobs in business premises in Poundbury had risen from 1,156 to 1,409 in the last year and that rate of increase was likely to remain if phases three and four become a reality.

He told councillors: “Granting this consent will enable Poundbury to continue to meet the growth need for Dorchester for a further 15 years.”

After the committee approved the plans Poundbury development manager Simon Conibear said he was looking forward to progressing with the next stage of the scheme.

He said: “We can move forward to complete the Poundbury project within the next ten to 15 years.”