Trevor Bevins, Local Democracy Reporter.
Stinsford Parish Council say the 500-home development on 24 hectare of farmland withing its parish could cause significant harm to the countryside, wildlife, heritage assets, water supplies and an already overstretched road network.
It also argues that the area’s strong associations with author Thomas Hardy have not been adequately considered.
The parish submission to Dorset Council argues the development conflicts with numerous policies in the Stinsford Neighbourhood Plan and fails to adequately address a range of environmental and infrastructure concerns.
One of the parish council’s central criticisms is that the application underestimates the ecological importance of the site and surrounding area. It says there is insufficient evidence in the proposals to demonstrate the impact on habitats and species associated with the River Frome and nearby water meadows, including bats and a variety of protected wildlife. The council also highlights concerns raised by Natural England regarding the ecological sensitivity of parts of the site.
It says the proposed housing density and settlement form are out of keeping with the area’s rural setting, which is characterised by open countryside, small-scale fields, historic hedgerows and dark skies. The authority also questions whether the development could be delivered without extensive lighting that would erode the parish’s dark-sky environment.
Particular concern is expressed over the potential impact on important local viewpoints and the setting of historic landscapes.
The report also raises objections on heritage grounds, saying insufficient assessment has been carried out on the impact the development could have on the setting of Eagle Lodge, the historic Dorset County Showground and prehistoric burial mounds north of the site.
Groundwater protection is another major issue. The parish council supports concerns raised by the Environment Agency that risks to local groundwater supplies have not been fully assessed. It points to the possibility that contamination incidents could affect boreholes serving local residents, businesses and community facilities.
Traffic impacts also feature heavily in the objection. The parish council says the submitted transport assessment does not properly reflect existing congestion problems around the A35 Stinsford roundabout, Slyers Lane and surrounding rural roads. It argues that additional traffic generated by the development could worsen delays, encourage more rat-running through neighbouring communities and create further safety concerns for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.
The parish council is also unconvinced by claims that future residents would make significant use of walking, cycling and public transport. It says the proposed neighbourhood would be poorly connected to employment, services and facilities, resulting in heavy dependence on the private car.
More broadly, the authority argues that the scheme represents a piecemeal approach to development in an area long earmarked for potential future growth through wider North Dorchester Garden Community proposals.
