THREE housing schemes being considered by an area planning committee on February 8 could bring an extra 170 homes.

The developments are off Common Mead Lane, Gillingham for 80 homes; Higher Blandford Road, Cann for 55 and south of Newlands Manor House, Charlton Marshall for 40 homes.

All will be decided by the Dorset Council northern area planning committee on Tuesday February 8th – each having met with objections.

Two smaller schemes are also up for decision – an amended proposal for seven homes off Frogmore Lane, Sixpenny Handley and six homes off Bournemouth Road, Charlton Marshall.

Planning officers are recommending that all of the applications should be granted.

Gillingham town council is among the objectors to the Fairfax Acquisitions Common Mead Lane development despite the company’s offer of 8 hectares of a field north of the site to the council and a payment of £65,500 to compensate for habitat loss.

An outline application for the site was refused in August 2021. Points made against it at the time include loss of an informal green space area, traffic safety and the fact that the site if outside the defined settlement boundary.

Planning officers say that for the Cann site the principle of development has already been agreed for Persimmon Homes, won on appeal.

Shaftesbury Town Council is among the objectors claiming the proposal has considerable design and landscaping issues which are not suitable for the setting and for the importance which the community attaches to what it described as “the gateway to our town”. Town councillors also complain there is no mention in the application of the Shaftesbury Neighbourhood Plan which was approved eight days before the application was submitted.

The larger Charlton Marshall application, from Morrish Homes, also has a previous outline consent.

Ten residents have written to the council about the proposal concerned about the need for new homes in the area, the impact on local services, a potential flood risk, traffic safety and the impact on the character and appearance of the village.

The parish council has not objected but has raised concerns about landscaping, footpath access onto Gravel Lane; street lighting in relation to the Conservation Area and Dark Skies designation of the Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The committee meeting, at 10am on Tuesday 8th, can be viewed online via a link on the committee papers.