Dorchester North development pledges greener future than Poundbury
It’s been claimed that the Dorchester North housing development could be ‘greener’ than Poundbury once complete in 2048
A new housing development on north of Dorchester promises to deliver a “greener” community than the Duchy of Cornwall’s Poundbury, according to planners.
Consultants for the 3,750-home Dorchester North project, which has been a decade in the making, sought to reassure residents about the scale and character of the scheme via an online consultation.
Valentina Nullo told a meeting that Poundbury’s car-centric design had created a harsher, denser environment, while Dorchester North would prioritise walking, cycling and green space.
She said: “This will be softer, with more routes for active travel and significantly more public green space.”
The site stretches around the town’s northern boundary, from the Weirs at Charminster to the Stinsford roundabout on the A35.
Promises were made about safeguarding Dorchester’s water meadows, protecting the River Frome, and ensuring the giant aquifer that supplies much of Dorset remains secure.
Chris Pattison, another planning consultant, acknowledged tensions between older residents, “more secure in their housing”, who tended to oppose new homes and younger people, who were more likely to support the development and its 1,300 affordable properties.
He argued the project was essential if Dorchester was to “maintain its status and thrive into the future”.
The developers, Grainger and Wyatt Homes, pledged a minimum 10% biodiversity gain across the site and outlined plans for a country park, new cycleways, boardwalks and employment spaces that would complement rather than compete with the town centre.
However, not all questions at the consultation were answered.
It remains unclear whether new homes will include solar panels or heat exchangers from the outset, or how public spaces will be funded and maintained.
With planning approval, construction could begin in late 2027, with first residents moving in by 2029. The entire scheme, expected to run until 2048, has been presented by the consortium as a long-term commitment.
“We can’t please all of the people all of the time,” Pattison told residents. “But the need for new housing has long been understood, and we intend to go about it in the most responsible way possible.”