PLANS for nine new houses in Fontmell Magna have been submitted.

The scheme, submitted on behalf of Intelligent Land, would see the six four-bed and three three-bed homes built on two fields at Blandfords Farm, in West Street.

A new access to the 1.3-hectare site would be created as part of the plans, submitted to Dorset Council.

“Nine, one- and two-storey dwellings are proposed to the wester field, which have been arranged to face outwards, so as to provide a positive village street scene to the open countryside, to the south and west,” the application said.

“A public green space and footpath connection will be provided to the pre-school to the north east,” it added.

“The proposed highway access from West Street will be to adoptable highway standards and has been designed by an independent Highway Consultant,” it went on.

“No external lighting is proposed to the new access road with a 1.5m-wide footpath to one side, connecting to the village hall site.

“A section of existing hedgerow would need to be removed to provide adequate visibility splays at the new junction. This would be mitigated by the addition or reinforcement of native hedgerow planting to other areas of the site.

The development would be on two fields in the village. Picture: Intelligent Land/Dorset Council

“The new access is necessary due to difficulties in accessing the site either through the existing access to West Street adjacent to Blandfords Farmhouse, or from that approved in the Pennyfarthing development to the south east.”

The land is surrounded by plots earmarked for development in the village’s neighbourhood plan, the application notes.

However, one resident wrote objecting to the design of the proposed access.

“Access to a single track road ie West Street is not viable and would increase danger to pedestrians, children and residents of Fontmell Magna … which is used by people on foot, bicycle and horseback all day long,” they wrote.

“An access point on to the A350 would be safer.”

For more details on the plan, and to comment, log on to www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk and seach for application reference P/OUT/2023/02893.