A BID to persuade Dorset Council to categorise land north of Dorchester as a ‘protected zone’ have failed – meaning it could be developed with thousands of homes in the future.

The site, stretching from near the Kingston Maurward roundabout to The Weirs, has been identified as offering the potential for thousands of new homes, together with a school and other local facilities.

Part of the site is on water meadows near Charminster which opponents say would not only be difficult to build on but would have a devastating effect on landscape and wildlife.

Councillor Alistair Chisholm was hoping to persuade the council to agree the area should be protected, meaning it cannot be developed.

But planning brief holder, Councillor David Walsh, says that whatever happens the authority will have to meet Government housing targets and any new housing will have to be in, or close, to existing towns.

He says that local people will have the chance to make suggestions about which category they believe certain areas of land should be placed in.

The new category has been suggested by the Government in a consultation document which the Dorset Cabinet will consider its response to in October.

During this week’s Cabinet meeting in response to Mr Chisholm’s question about protecting the land in advance, Cllr Walsh said: “We do not yet know whether the proposals will be changed as a result of the consultation before they are implemented, and so it would be premature to make any decisions about how areas of land might be zoned.

"Should the proposals be implemented as set out, the council will need to meet a binding housing target, and will need to identify sufficient land as ‘growth’ or ‘renewal’ areas to meet that target.

"This land will need to be in locations that minimise the distances that people need to travel to meet their everyday needs. Consultation would take place at the start of the process to enable people to make proposals as to which category they believe certain areas of land should be in.”

Around 3,500 homes are being proposed together with another 330 on the edge of Charminster as part of the Local Plan.