Bellway Homes (Wessex) is pleased to share emerging proposals for Land South of Drakes Lane, Charminster ahead of submitting a full planning application to Dorset Council.
This exhibition gives you the opportunity to find out more about our proposals, speak with members of the project team, and share your views. Your feedback is valuable and will be considered as we finalise the scheme ahead of submission.
‘The site occupies approximately 9.47 hectares of agricultural land on the western edge of Charminster, bounded by Drakes Lane to the north and Wanchard Lane to the west. It sits within a short walk of the village centre and is well connected to Dorchester via National Cycle Route 26 and existing bus services on the A352.
The scheme has been developed with a strong focus on creating a place that genuinely feels part of Charminster – not an estate bolted on to the village edge. The layout draws on a detailed analysis of the village’s character, street patterns, and building typologies, with informal, winding street, varied housing types, and a materials palette rooted in the local vernacular.
We are keen to hear your views before we finalise the proposals and submit a planning application to Dorset Council. All feedback received – whether through this website, at the public exhibition, or by post – will be carefully considered by the project team. A Statement of Community Involvement summarising the engagement process and how feedback has shaped the scheme will be submitted alongside the application.
Like many areas of England, Dorset faces real and growing pressure to deliver the homes that local people need. The Council is required to demonstrate a rolling five-year supply of housing land and, where this cannot be demonstrated, decision-making is subject to the 'tilted balance' in favour of sustainable development under the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
Dorset Council is currently preparing a new Local Plan which will guide future development across the area. The emerging plan identifies Land to the West of Charminster — known as allocation LA/CHTR/003,004— as a proposed opportunity area for around 200 new homes. Our site, at 9.47 hectares, forms part of this wider allocation and is directly referenced as a suitable and sustainable location for new residential development.
The allocation reflects Charminster's position as one of Dorset's larger villages, its proximity to Dorchester, and the need to plan positively for growth in a sensitive, landscape-led manner.
Bellway Homes has been engaged in detailed pre-application discussions with Dorset Council — including planning, urban design, highways, landscape, ecology, and heritage officers. This ongoing dialogue has fundamentally shaped our proposals, ensuring the scheme responds appropriately to local context, officer guidance, and community needs.
Key topics discussed include development quantum and density, access from Wanchard Lane, landscape buffers, pedestrian connectivity, biodiversity net gain, and the character of the scheme in its rural village-edge setting.
Following a Dorset Design Review Panel session on 26th February 2026, the design team are actively developing the masterplan in response to the panel’s recommendations; Further information in relation to this will be available at the planned public exhibition event.
The application site is located on the western edge of Charminster, a village approximately 3 kilometres north of Dorchester town centre. The site extends to approximately 9.47 hectares and currently comprises agricultural land, with the landholding forming part of the wider LA/CHTR/003,004 allocation area in Dorset Council's emerging Local Plan.
Our proposal seeks full planning permission for approximately 152 new homes on Land South of Drakes Lane. The scheme has been shaped by detailed officer engagement and has a strong focus on landscape integration, sustainability, and making a positive contribution to Charminster.
The primary vehicle access to the development will be taken from Wanchard Lane, in a location agreed through detailed pre-application discussions with Dorset Council Highways. The junction arrangement has been carefully designed to meet highway safety standards, with a staggered layout to maximise visibility and safety for all road users.
Pedestrian connectivity is a key priority for the scheme. A network of footways will be provided throughout the development, with new crossing points on Wanchard Lane. A shared pedestrian and cycle route is proposed through the open space linking to the adjacent Wyatts development and onward to Dorchester via the A37 corridor.
The scheme takes a genuinely landscape-led approach. All existing boundary hedgerows and mature trees will be retained, and generous structural landscape buffers of up to 30 metres are proposed to the north and western boundaries to protect and frame views toward the Dorset National Landscape. The design carefully avoids any development in areas with elevated surface water flood risk.
A large central green space forms the social and ecological heart of the scheme, providing active and passive recreation opportunities for future residents. New native tree and hedgerow planting will be provided throughout, with street trees, front garden planting, and cellular soil systems where necessary to support healthy long-term growth.
The design of the scheme has been fundamentally shaped by analysis of Charminster's built character, street patterns, and landscape setting. Our ambition is to create a distinctive, locally-rooted neighbourhood that feels genuinely part of the village.
Extensive ground investigations are being undertaken, current testing for ground infiltration rates at surface level indicate the varying clay strata gives differing infiltration rates. Continuing to follow the drainage hierarchy it is likely that the drainage solution will target infiltration to the chalk strata. Sustainable drainage features including swales and attenuation lagoons will be employed to manage first flush shorter rainfall events and provide at source water treatment, as well as create attractive amenity and biodiversity features. In times of heavy rainfall pond/basin structures will provide storage capacity ensuring the risk of flooding offsite is not increased.
All comments received will be reviewed by the project team. Feedback will be considered as we finalise the design and technical assessments ahead of submitting a full planning application to Dorset Council. Where suggestions can be incorporated, we will do so; where they cannot, we will explain why.
A Statement of Community Involvement, summarising this engagement process and how feedback has shaped the proposals, will be submitted with the planning application. Once the application is submitted, there will be a further statutory opportunity to comment directly to Dorset Council.
Please send your feedback by using the comment form below
A public exhibition is being held on the 16th April, and we would be delighted to see you there.
We welcome all feedback, whether positive or raising concerns. Your input will help shape the final proposals before we submit our planning application to Dorset Council.