Motcombe Parish Council has issued its response during the consultation period of the Dorset Council Local Plan, which sets out its vision for the development of the area until 2038.

In a full and detailed response, Councillor Peter Mouncey highlighted the parish council’s views, most notably to protect the rural village atmosphere of Motcombe. The Local Plan has allowed eight new homes to be built each year in Motcombe over 17 years, almost double the allowance made in the village’s own Neighbourhood Plan.

Cllr Mouncey said: “This is a substantial increase in an area hoping to continue functioning as a separate rural village squeezed between two rapidly growing neighbouring towns.”

From housing development to infrastructure and from outdoor spaces to traveller sites, Cllr Mouncey has collated the concerns from parish councillors and indeed, the villagers about the Local Plan in a comprehensive document.

Cllr Mouncey said: “In many of the villages, a key issue is the lack of smaller open market properties and one bedroom affordable homes. There is also the potential need and benefit of flexible accommodation to enable live-in care/annex options as part of any housing mix.
The policies in the adopted plans fail to secure the delivery of these most needed house types, with delivery generally focusing on larger (and presumably more profitable) traditional house types that do not provide any real flexibility.”

The Local Plan has made provision identified provision for Travellers and Gypsy sites near Hawkers Hill Farm and off Calves Lane in Shaftesbury and at Plant World Nursery in Milton on Stour.

Cllr Mouncey added: “Where is the evidence to demonstrate a need at this level for three sites in such close proximity? “Also, with substantial house growth within the Gillingham and Shaftesbury area, surely any proposal to reduce the number of garden centres is short-sighted.”

“It is very surprising to see a proposal for a wind farm near Kingscourt Wood in Motcombe. This is within the heritage area of the old Gillingham Royal Forest, the subject of substantial funding from the National Lottery following a successful bid by the Dorset Wildlife Trust.”

Cllr Mouncey added: “With large increases in the population forecast for North Dorset, there should be considerations in the plan to create large-scale recreation areas to help alleviate the increasing pressure on the few current sites.”

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