Hundreds march in Dorchester in protest at housing plans

An effigy was paraded through the streets of Dorchester

Hundreds of campaigners have marched through a town in protest at plans to build 4,000 houses on open land.

Dorset Council envisages a massive new development north of Dorchester, but protesters say it will "desecrate" the Thomas Hardy countryside.

Carrying effigies of a property developer, they demanded the council rethink its draft plan.

Dorset Council said it was proud of work it was doing on the proposals despite the negative comments.

Stand, the pressure group which organised the protest, said the fields were the "green lungs" of Dorchester and the landscape was of huge historical, environmental and cultural significance to the county town.

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Member Linda Poulsen said: "We feel that the suggestion that development should take place on a massive scale north of Dorchester is being bulldozed through against the democratic wishes of the local community."

The proposed development between Charminster and Stinsford is also opposed by Dorchester Town Council, the Dorchester Civic Society and the CPRE.

Protesters marched through the streets on Saturday

Town crier and local historian Alistair Chisholm, who was also at the march, said: "There is a great groundswell of objection, I'm sure we can come up with something which is a great deal more agreeable and which respects the quintessence of Dorset which is a rural county."

Dorset Council's David Walsh, member for planning, previously said: "We continue to work on the policies that underpin the plan. This includes research and gathering information to make sure the plan delivers what it needs to for Dorset's next generations.

"I am very proud of the work the team is doing. We have had representation from across the Dorset Council area. There will be a further chance to comment upon the plan before it is voted on by our full council."