Campaigners say it is a ‘great disappointment’ that Dorset Council has approved plans to build 760 new homes at Vearse Farm, Bridport.
The authority has approved plans to let a coalition of developers build at the site known as Vearse Farm, now officially renamed Foundry Lea.
The 43-hectare site is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and plans to build there have faced strong opposition.
After councillors approved development plans, a spokesperson for pressure group Advearse said: “This is needless to say a great disappointment given the multiple issues and concerns raised by ourselves and many Bridport residents over a long period of time.
“The councillors on the committee also raised concerns but the council officers made it clear that the councillors had in effect little choice other than to accept the reserved matters application as it stood without any changes.
“Whilst there are positives from Foundry Lea such as the affordable housing there are many negatives for Bridport that will only start to be fully realised in the years to come.”
Developers now plan to begin construction on the first 318 houses at the site by June 2025, shortly before new building regulations come into force.
Work on the new Miles Cross roundabout will begin early next year and is set to take six months to complete.
Former Bridport Mayor David Tett said: “Vearse Farm has courted much adverse publicity from the time it was first incorporated in the Local Plan.
“It is a very controversial and contentious site with many problems. The road infrastructure in and around Bridport is inadequate to service a development of this nature.
“With an additional 2,000 plus traffic movements this will cause havoc and bedlam.”
Many of the homes, 318, will be three-bedroom builds with 212 four-bedroom homes and 195 two-bedroom homes.
Dorset Council has said the new development, which will include 300 ‘affordable’ homes, also allocates areas for allotments, play areas, a sports pitch with changing facilities and an orchard.
It is expected that subsequent planning applications to build a new school, care home and areas for employment will now follow.