New plans for up to 150 homes

blackmorevaleApril 21, 20210 Comment0

Plans have now been submitted for another 150 homes next to the Bellway Homes development being built on the outskirts of Blandford at St Mary’s Hill, Blandford St Mary.

The site north of Wards Drove is included as an option in the draft Dorset Local Plan, but not in the Blandford+ Neighbourhood Plan, which goes to public vote in a referendum taking place on Thursday, May 6 and which aims to protect the parishes of Blandford, Blandford St Mary and Bryanston from unwanted development.

The outline application has been submitted by Hallam Land Management and is for the erection of up to 150 dwellings, along with open space and landscaping, including play areas and ecological buffer, new vehicular and pedestrian accesses to include the North Dorset Trailway, parking, engineering works and infrastructure including cycle and pedestrian connections. Comments on the outline application are open until April 21.

Richard Brown, of the Dorset AONB, has said the site is located on land to the south of the Bellway Homes site, where 350 homes are planned, following the approval of a reserved matters application which was subject to an appeal, and indicated the effects of this latest application on Dorset AONB were unlikely to be significant.

He said: “This site sits at a lower elevation in the landscape than the Bellway Homes development, and potential views of houses within this adjoining area from within Dorset AONB are likely to be very limited.”

But Blandford & District Civic Society have objected to the proposal, saying it is both speculative and premature, adding to the ribbon development along the A350 and impact on the character of Blandford St Mary caused by the already approved 350 houses at St Mary’s Hill.

They said: “Since their approval, Dorset Council has declared a climate emergency. “Further development without adequate public transport and significant employment opportunities will make Blandford a commuter town for the south east conurbation to which residents will travel to find work, so increasing the carbon footprint. Development in neighbouring Charlton Marshall, towards which this development is creeping, was recently refused on appeal on the grounds that it would result in unsustainable travel patterns and a reliance on the use of the private car, and we would argue that at this time, so too is this.”