40 new homes planned for Charminster
Developers submit a new planning application
A new application for more than 40 homes off Wanchard Lane at Charminster has been lodged with Dorset Council.
The Wyatt Homes application is for a paddock site north of the lane, closer to the village and almost opposite the Charminster industrial estate.
The application is for a continuation of the 200-home Charminster Farm scheme. Until now the majority of the development has been to the south of the lane.
Work on the development has been underway for more than three years and in addition to housing has brought the village a new community hall and will later see new allotments and community open spaces being provided as part of phase 3 of the scheme which was approved in October and includes 82 homes.
An initial proposal for 48 homes on the site south of the lane has now been reduced to 41, partially in response to concerns about the effect the scheme might have on the village conservation area.
The latest application has 27 open market homes and 14 ‘affordable’ – nineteen 3-bed, twelve 2-bed, eight 4-bed and two one-bed.
The developers says there will be a mix of styles with the material proposed being similar to those on the rest of the development, including brick, render and flint, many of the homes will be in a cottage-style.
Access to the site will be off Wanchard Lane with a package of road improvements to include vehicle restrictions and a reduced speed limit along Wanchard Lane and a weight restriction along Wier View. The new link road proposed in phase 3 scheme will offer access to the site from the A37.
Documents submitted to the council for planning consent accept that the new homes, being closer to the village, will have an effect on its conservation area, although they argue that this will be less than substantial.
They say: “Whilst the development will affect a visual change to the wider setting of the conservation area, it is considered that this will be in keeping with the existing character of the surrounding built form, including the historic core, thus minimising the impact of the development. The proposed design, layout, landscaping and materiality has sought to create a high-quality development that responds appropriately to the adjacent conservation area, such that its architectural and historic interest will be sustained. As such, it is not considered that there will be any significant impacts arising as a result of the introduction of built form on the site.”
Public comments on the proposal remain open until February 9th with the full 97 pages of documentation available on the Dorset Council website.