by Trevor Bevins, Local Democracy Reporter.
Calls have been made to challenge the Dorchester North developers claims that their 3,600-home scheme will not cause flooding and sewage pollution in the county town.
The Grainger and Wyatt Homes consortium say they will be able to tackle any potential problems with engineering solutions on the 916-acre site.
The latest battle of words has broken out with formal proposals for the site, stretching from Charminster to Stinsford around the county town, soon to be submitted for planning consent.
Town councillors heard that there are serious doubts about water and waste management from the site with the protest group, STAND, calling for an independent report.
The call is likely to lead to a meeting between the town council and Charminster and Stinsford parish councils to work together on opposition to the housing proposals – although may not result in the independent report STAND is calling for.
Campaigner Alastair Nisbet, from STAND, told town councillors that recent bad flooding around Charminster and in London Road and King’s Road, Dorchester had been a wake up call about the potential problems.
He said it was appalling that sewage and water bubbling up in King’s Road had led to homes being sprayed by passing vehicles.
Mr Nisbet said STAND and the majority of those attending recent exhibitions about the proposals had little confidence in the claims from the Cambridge-based consultants, Bidwells, working for the housing consortium, that the proposals to use attenuation ponds and other measures, would work.
He said the consultants and had not alleviated concerns over the potential threat from run-off from the site affecting the whole area negatively.
“I fail to see how water (from the development site) will go anywhere, other than make flooding worse in Dorchester.
“If there isn’t more sewage capacity not a single house should be built,” he said.
He called on the three councils to work together to produce their own, independent, report over water and pollution management, from what Mr Nisbet described as “this badly thought out proposal.”
His call will lead to a discussion at the next town council planning and environment committee, further contact with Charminster and Stinsford parish councils, and with a look at the possible costs of commissioning an independent report.
Cllr Stella Jones said she believed Dorset Council had already commissioned its own report into water and waste disposal issues from the Dorchester North site. She told the town council meeting that she believed the report should be made public.
Cllr Janet Hewitt said linking up with Charminster and Stinsford parish councils was essential if the Dorchester North plans were to be successfully opposed.
