Final details to be agreed for 760 home development near Bridport
The houses will be within an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Final approval for the controversial 760-home development on the western edge of Bridport will be decided this week.
The scheme, originally known as Vearse Farm, now re-named as Foundry Lea, already has outline planning consent.
On Thursday a Dorset Council area planning committee, meeting at County Hall, will be recommended to agree the details, allowing building to go ahead.
Objections
The 43 hectare site, within the Area of Outstanding Beauty, has been objected to locally by some people since it appeared in the Local Plan.
Some protestors complain that the extra residents will increase traffic problems and the new homes might cause additional flooding in the area.
There has also been concerns over the safety of walking and cycling routes from the site into Bridport town centre.
Benefits
The Barratt David Wilson Homes development will bring allotments, play areas, an orchard, and a sports pitch with changing rooms.
An officer report to Thursday’s planning meeting says the proposals are considered to be of an appropriate appearance, layout, landscaping and scale with the five ‘distinct’ housing areas responding to other house styles in the area.
It also claims the landscaping would “conserve and enhance the AONB, biodiversity and existing trees and hedges and provide appropriate new planting.”
The committee will be told that they are only being asked to decide the residential elements of the scheme with the northern sector, which will include a local centre, employment uses and a care home, being considered later.
Affordable homes
Most of the homes, 318, will be 3-bed with 212 4-bed and 195 2-bed. Six per cent of the homes will be flats (28), and one per cent made up of eight 5-bed homes.
In total 40 per cent (302) will be ‘affordable’, 36 more than the 35% target figure with 186 homes for rent, 80 for shared ownership.
A small area of the site, 0.4hectare, will be set aside for self-build homes where mains services and access will be provided.
A similar sized plot will be set aside for allotment west of the loop road around the estate and 0.35 hectare for an orchard close to the river.
Also being provided is three public electric vehicle charge points with land for a community bicycle pool and a bike shelter.
Concerns from local councils
Both Symondsbury parish council and Bridport town council have maintained a number of concerns over the proposals – acknowledging that changes to the original plans have improved some elements.
Among the requests from Symondsbury parish council is for “Improvements to the access and connectivity of the immediate area, the town centre and rural routes, so that the site does not become a self-contained island solution only.” It is also keen to see more progress towards the development being zero carbon.
Bridport town council also wants the scheme to be ‘greener’ and has asked for an improvement in the housing mix to offer more one and two-bed properties, including more for social renting.
Char Valley and Allington parish councils both raised concerns about traffic access via West Road (B3162) and the increase in traffic volumes – with Allington councillors calling for a new access road directly onto the bypass opposite the Eype turning.
The developers will be making financial contribution of more than £1million which will include payments to the Bridport leisure centre, local healthcare provision, road improvements and biodiversity gains.