Homes and sports facility for green belt land off Leigh Road, Wimborne

Plans for 174 homes and a new multi-million pound sports facility south of Leigh Road will be considered by members of East Dorset District Council’s planning committee.

Permission has already been granted for 386 homes on the site and this scheme would take the total further above the figure of 350 included when it was allocated in the council’s local plan.

On top of the homes, Gleesons Strategic Land’s application proposes the construction of a new community sports facility – providing a new home for the town’s rugby and football clubs.

Concern has been raised by Wimborne Rugby Club about changes to the sports area made by the developer following concerns from Historic England about it encroaching on the nearby Roman road.

As a result of the amended layout the number of parking spaces provided at the £3.6 million facility would be reduced from 330 to 250.

They said that the site was “too cramped” but admitted it would be “very difficult” to address the issues.

A council report recommends that the scheme be approved, despite the scale of development already approved, due to its provision of 49 ‘affordable’ homes.

“Very special circumstances exist with regard to the significantly social benefits to the local community of providing the sports facility which outweigh the inappropriateness of the harm to the openness of the area,” the report says.

“The proposal would provide a significant boost to the supply of new housing, including affordable housing, in east Dorset.

“It is considered that the benefits of providing significant additional affordable housing outweighs the fact that the consented total would clearly be in excess of the figure set out in the local plan.”

Support for the scheme has also been given by Wimborne Minster Town Council.

If the application is approved at Wednesday’s committee meeting, the developer would also be required to make a £950,000 contribution towards road and school improvements.