The first planning application of a scheme dubbed ‘Norchester’ that will change the shape of ‘Hardy country’ forever has been submitted.
The outline planning application launching the North Dorchester Garden Community has been described as “nothing more than cultural vandalism”.
The plan for up to 500 houses, a new London Road junction and green space of 60 acres between the A35 and Slyer’s Lane is the first phase of the contentious scheme from North Dorchester Consortium.
That’s the partnership between Derwent Developments and Wyatt Homes, which could see 915 acres of open space lost under 3,750 homes.
A larger planning application for Norchester is expected to follow later this year. It is likely to include schools, shops and a cemetery, as well as community, health and leisure centres.
A new road is expected to relieve town centre congestion by linking the A35 and A37.
Chairman and academic director of The Thomas Hardy Society Mark Chutter said: “The proposal for this planning application to the North of Dorchester is nothing more than cultural vandalism against the landscape and literary heritage of Thomas Hardy.
“Housing is important but not on this site or scale. We are ‘Far from the Madding Crowd’ and that is where we want to stay.”
Dorchester Town Council has voted against the Norchester scheme since it was first mooted 30 years ago.
A spokesperson said: “The town council’s planning and environment committee will consider this application at its meeting on August 3 at 7pm and we’ve requested an extension to the consultation deadline to enable proper consideration before we formally respond.”
Alastair Nisbet, acting chair of Save The Area North Of Dorchester (STAND), voiced his personal opinion and said: “Dorchester is sleepwalking to disaster.
“We had over 80cm of rainfall from October to February. Measured over the North Dorchester area, that’s 3.3 billion litres of water – equivalent to 1,320 Olympic swimming pools.
“When 60% of that land is built on, that’s a lot of water to be dealing with. I don’t believe they’re going to be able to protect homes and businesses from flooding because we already get threat to life flooding.
“I think more sewage will bubble up from the road, particularly for those houses in Kings Road.
“Slyers Lane and London Road are already congested, so what will it be like with another 1,000 cars on the road?
“There will be absolute traffic chaos for decades to come.
“It’s a terrible location for any sort of social or affordable housing because it’s miles away from anywhere, in the middle of a wet field.
“It would be irresponsible of councillors to approve this outline planning application, because it is urbanising the whole area from Charminster to Stinsford.
“This so called ‘garden village’ is twice the size of Poundbury and the largest development ever proposed in Dorset.
“The town will never forgive Dorset Council if they allow Dorchester to be subjected to these risks.”
Announcing submission of the first Norchester planning application, Mohan Sidhu, associate director for Grainger plc, said: “This is the moment where a long-held vision begins to take tangible shape, moving from discussion to delivery.
“Submitting this first planning application for the North Dorchester Garden Community is a hugely significant milestone and the culmination of many years of planning, technical work, consultation and careful refinement.”
The application can be viewed on Dorset Council’s website ref P/OUT/2026/03215. The public
have until August 2 to comment.
If the project gets the green light, building could start in 2028, with the project taking up to 20 years to be completed.
A scoping report can be seen on the Dorset Council website using the reference numbers P/ESP/2025/ 07593 and P/ESP/2025/ 07599.
More stories about Norchester:
- Developers closer to finalising blueprint for ‘Norchester’ project
- Campaigners against the Norchester development ‘may have wasted their time’
- Campaign group STAND say councillor’s comments were misleading
