Thousands sign STAND petition to stop new houses being built north of Dorchester
It will now be presented to Dorset Council in their meeting on Wednesday
Last updated 12th Jul 2021
More than 5,000 people have signed a petition against thousands of new homes planned for the north of Dorchester.
STAND a group of local people are campaigning to prevent 4,000 houses being built on countryside in the area.
The public petition, against the Dorchester North plans, started in September 2018 and has now closed with well over 5,000 people signing it.
STAND is going to present the petition to Dorset Council at their full council meeting on Thursday 15 July 2021.
According to the Local Authority's constitution petitions with over 5,000 signatures should lead to a council debate on the issue.
Dorset Council will acknowledge the petition in the meeting on Wednesday and a decision will be made by them in April next year.
However, it looks like any consideration of this very well supported petition will not be debated openly, but will be taken as part of the comments submitted for the draft Local Plan Consultation and so will not be discussed until April 2022.
Alistair Chisholm from STAND said, "This will be a great disappointment for all those who signed the petition believing it would lead to a transparent, open debate on this particular site.
"We will still be formally presenting the petition to them on 15th July and will hold a demonstration outside County Hall from 6pm onwards to express our dissatisfaction at the way the Council are dealing with this, and our opposition to the destruction of the local environment such a huge development would cause.
"So please join us on Thursday and make your voices heard".
Cllr Val Pothecary, Chairman of Dorset Council, told Greatest Hits Radio Dorset:
“We have received a petition from the STAND Group, requesting that the council rejects the inclusion in the local plan of the site north of Dorchester. As Chairman I will be reporting receipt of the petition when the Full Council meets on 15 July. This petition was also submitted as a representation to the Dorset Council Local Plan consultation and is being considered alongside all the other responses received during the consultation period.
“The full Dorset Council will make the decision, in April next year, about the content of the plan for the next stage, which is the publication plan. This will be published in May 2022, with an opportunity for people to make comments. All responses made at that stage will be considered by the inspector who will hold the public examination.
“I am glad that in April next year the full Council will be able to consider the STAND petition and the very many other responses to our consultation about the local plan and that all councillors will have the opportunity to take part in deciding what proposals go forward for publication.”