135 extra homes 'will swamp Lower Blandford St Mary'

They argue that more than enough homes have already been allocated for the area and that, with the nearest shop a mile away, almost everyone will have to use their cars.

A statement from North Dorset Campaign to Protect Rural England, supported by Blandford St Mary parish council, says the only beneficiaries of planning consent will be Hallam Land Management and the land owner.

The land management company has applied to get planning permission for 135 homes in Blandford St Mary, just south of Blandford – in a revised version of an earlier application to build 150 which had attracted criticism from Dorset Council’s planning team, Blandford Town Council, Blandford St Mary Parish Council (BSMPC) and other consultees.

A statement from North Dorset CPRE says the new proposed scheme offers little or no benefit to Blandford St Mary but will swamp the “hamlet“ of Lower Blandford St Mary and its listed church and houses.

“North Dorset is in the fortunate position that it now has a housing land supply in excess of five years so decisions should follow the development plan. The housing target for Blandford Forum and St Mary in the North Dorset Local Plan is at least 1200 homes, and the September 2023 Housing Land Supply report showed that 1225 homes will be delivered by 2031.

"There is no need for more housing, particularly since the recent approval of a further 490 homes in north Blandford and Pimperne, and certainly not for this speculative development on a site unallocated by both the North Dorset Local Plan and the Blandford + Neighbourhood Plan,” said CPRE.

Local residents are being encouraged to comment on the Dorset Council Planning Portal at

https://planning.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/ (Planning Application P/FUL/2023/07266) until January 16.