Curtis Fields: Firm applies to alter court case housing scheme

Campaigner Gill Taylor lost a court battle against the developer in 2014

A developer has applied to change a controversial housing scheme, 10 years after planning permission was first granted.

Curtis Fields, on the outskirts of Weymouth, Dorset, was the subject of a Supreme Court ruling in 2014.

It upheld a decision to quash the land's designation as a town green, thereby allowing development.

Betterment Properties has applied to reduce the number of affordable homes from 140 to 122, out of a total of 500.

The partly-built site has outline planning permission for 500 homes

The firm said the previously-agreed number was no longer affordable, after an increase in costs and unforeseen extra expenses arising from asbestos at the site.

The project, now partly built, won outline planning permission in 2014, with final consents following between 2017 and 2019.

A contract in 2016 agreed a minimum of 30 per cent affordable homes together with more than £4.5m in financial contributions by the company towards school provision and other community needs.

Dorset Council's area planning committee is due to decide on the proposed change on Thursday.

Follow BBC South on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2240.