A 280-HOME housing proposal for a Dorset site is expected to be given full planning approval by Dorset councillors.

The development is the first phase of what could eventually be a 1,000-home scheme south of Gillingham.

The Ham Farm site, to the west of Shaftesbury Road, already has outline permission for the development’s layout, scale and landscaping.

The farm has been earmarked for housing as part of the southern extension for Gillingham, with council planning staff suggesting  that councillors should approve the Places for People Development when the northern area planning committee meets on Tuesday, June 4th in Sturminster Newton.

The proposal has two distinct ‘character’ areas – a central, less dense green area, surrounded by higher density housing of up to three storeys.

A hundred of the homes will be classed as ‘affordable’, half of those for rent and half shared ownership, with the overall scheme said to generate a biodiversity net gain.

The proposals councillors are being asked to agree include 90 three-bed open market homes in a mix of detached, semi-detached and terraced; 47 four-bed; 24 five-bed, 12 two bed in a mix of apartments and 6 one-bed apartments.

Forty of the three-bed ‘affordable’ homes will be three bed in a mixture of terrace and semi-detached with thirty-six two bed apartments, and 24 one-bed apartments or maisonettes.

The main road for the site has already been built with a combined pedestrian and cycle route to run through the central area linking in to the existing Rights of Way network.

Several formal and informal recreation areas are proposed including a kick-about area and play areas.

Financial contribution will have to be made, as the scheme progresses, towards Gillingham Library, the Riversemeet Leisure Centre, primary and secondary schooling in the area, new clinical rooms at the Gillingham Medical Centre and towards the cost of household recycling facilities.

The developers will also be expected to pay for road and pavement improvements and towards the cost of new bus services.

Gillingham Town Council had initially recommended refusing the scheme with objections over housing density, inadequate green areas and concerns about parking  – but after a re-designed dropped its opposition.