DORSET councillors have agreed further details over plans for a southern extension of around 961 homes for Gillingham.

It will allow work to start on a flood relief area and a new, temporary, link road off the B3081 to avoid works traffic having travel through the town.

The flood compensation area will make up for a loss of flood zone land caused by the building of a raised main road through the development.

The gently sloping section, upstream of the River Lodden Bridge, is designed to flood when needed but at other time will be used to graze animals. It will have to be completed within three years.

Northern area planning committee members also agreed a temporary road access for construction use off the B3081 to avoid works traffic having travel via the Ham Farm estate, passing the St Mary the Virgin primary school.

The access will have a security coded barrier and only be able to be used by construction traffic with a one-way system in place once installed.

Planning portfolio holder and one of the Gillingham councillors, David Walsh, told the online planning meeting that the road had the backing of Gillingham residents and the town council and would allow the southern extension of the town to get underway.

He said that road and the start of work on the town’s main extension would make it easier to resist speculative developments elsewhere in the area which were not wanted. He said the delays so far had already encouraged developers to look at sites in the area, which were not considered as suitable as the approved southern extension.

The committee heard that there was an intention to start work on the flood relief zone ‘almost immediately’.

Said Cllr Val Pothecary: “We have waited a long time and it’s very encouraging to see things moving forward.”