Banner against new housing scheme is put back up in Dorchester
It had been taken down by the council
Last updated 26th Jan 2021
A controversial banner objecting against plans to build 4,000 new homes near Dorchester has been put back up in South Street.
It encourages people to share their views with Dorset Council planners.
The banner was first taken down last week by council officials who say banners are only allowed in South Street if they promote community or charity events.
It’s now been put up again in protest.
The banner was put there by STAND – a group campaigning against the housing development.
Alistair Chisholm is a Dorchester Town Councillor and member of the STAND campaign group (Save The Area North of Dorchester)
He said:
“We put it up on Sunday morning and to the best of my knowledge it’s still there.
“I want people to think seriously about the impact of 4,000 houses north of the water meadows in Dorchester.
“I don’t think there’s anything in this for the town except extra pressure, extra traffic, and the destruction of part of the countryside which is really really important.”
Cllr Ray Bryan, Dorset Council Portfolio holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, said:
“We grant the permission for banners to be installed over the highways. These banners should only promote community or charity events. On this occasion permission was refused as the content of the banner was not promoting community or charity events. We advised the group before it was displayed that the banner would be removed if installed.
“We want as many people as possible to take part in the Dorset Council Local Plan consultation. We have displays in empty shop windows in Dorchester, and many other towns across Dorset, to make sure people are aware of the plan and how they can have their say. There are also paper copies available as part of the click and collect offer of our libraries.”
A consultation is underway into the Dorset Council Local Plan which will guide decisions on planning applications, like this one, in Dorset until 2038.
You can find out more at www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/dorset-council-local-plan