THE layout and other details of the second phase of a 238-home scheme east of New Road at West Parley are expected to be approved by Dorset Council.

An area planning committee is being asked on May 3 to sign off the second phase of the development of 148 homes with access off Christchurch Road and Church Lane.

The reserved matters application includes how Bellway Homes will lay out public open spaces and deal with landscaping for the 20 hectare site, in addition to the design details of each home.

A range of housing types are proposed including flats, townhouses, detached, semi[1]detached and terraced houses with sizes from 1 to 4 bedrooms.

West Parley Parish Council has continued to express concerns over the density, lack of a variety of housing designs, insufficient parking and the removal of a children’s playground, which was initially suggested. It would also like to see additional planting throughout the site.

The project had been opposed locally at the outset although financial contributions from the development will include payments towards the expansion of local schools with a contribution towards expanding local primary health care facilities and to a community project at West Parley Sports and Social Club.

A mix of homes, from one and two-bed flats to four-bed family homes is proposed across the wider site with 73 of the total currently shown as ‘affordable’ either for rent or shared ownership. Only three affordable plots are shown in Phase 2, with the majority expected to be built in the first phase of the development.

The 20- hectare farm site is in the Parley Cross area south east of the junction of the A347 Christchurch Road and the B3073 New Road. Land to the south is within the Green Belt with the 68-place Parley Place care home to the east of the site.

West Parley and Hurn parish councils had also raised concerns that the proposed link road, now under construction, may not be suitable. Their submissions also voiced concerns about some of the other roads and what was seen as inadequate parking levels, although neither argument was shared by council highways officers.

Some of the sixty objectors voiced similar concerns in their letters to Dorset Council.

A number of revisions have been made to the scheme since it was initially suggested.

A planning officer reporting, recommending approval for the reserved matters, says: “The principle of development on this site, together with access and the link road design, was agreed with the outline planning permission. The reserved matters application accurately reflects and builds upon the outline approval.

"The proposal provides housing, including affordable housing, that will make a significant contribution towards meeting local housing needs. The design and layout proposed is the result of an iterative design process, and will provide an attractive landscape led development with good standards of amenity for future occupants.

"The resulting impacts on the amenity of neighbouring properties will be acceptable in planning terms. Having had regard to the representations of objection and support and the advice of the various consulted parties, it is considered that on balance the benefits of the scheme significantly outweigh the impacts.”

In principle, or outline, permission for the Bellway Homes Wessex development was first granted in 2021 after initially being proposed in 2017.

The outline consent included permission for up to 386 homes together with small shops and offices, including a foodstore. The additional homes and commercial units are expected to be the subject of a later, separate, full application.