CONTROVERSIAL plans to redevelop land in Milborne St Andrew will be reconsidered by councillors next week months after they threw out the proposal, criticising the “ghetto-style” layout.

Despite being recommended for approval, North Dorset District Council’s planning committee refused to grant planning permission for the scheme put forward by Poole-based Wyatt Homes.

Now the firm has submitted plans for a smaller development on the land in Huntley Down which could planning officers have said is “acceptable”.

The original application, which would have seen 30 homes, including 12 designated as affordable, was supported by council planning officers but was rejected by members of the committee over its “ghetto-style” dense layout.

Revised plans were lodged with the council in September, scaling-back the development by reducing the number of homes to 25, 10 of which would be affordable.

A planning statement submitted with the application says: “In response [to the refusal] the layout and siting of the homes has been reviewed to ensure a greater degree of separation between existing and proposed homes.

“Attention has been given to reducing potential overlooking of established properties from the proposed homes by virtue of the siting and orientation of properties.

“In this instance, the development makes effective use of the site in a situation where the council cannot demonstrate a deliverable supply of housing and which delivers a high proportion of affordable homes for local needs.

“The development respects the character of the village and wider character of the district and has addressed the issues of amenity that led to the refusal of the previous application.”

Despite the changes, the scheme is still opposed by Milborne St Andrew Parish Council which has submitted a nine-page objection outlining concerns including parking, flooding and questioning whether the housing is needed in the area.

However, district council planning officers have deemed the scheme to be “acceptable” for a second time and are recommending that the planning committee grants planning permission at its meeting on Tuesday (November 6).

“The applicant has adequately addressed the reasons for refusal of the previous application for 30 dwellings on this site,” a report to the committee says.

“In particular, the proposed layout is similar to the loose-knit and spacious characteristics of this edge-of-village location and the proposed siting and scale of the dwellings would not result in a serious loss of amenity.”