Welcome

Lovell Homes and Abri are working on the detailed proposals to bring forward 500 homes on land to the north of Littlemoor Road on the edge of Weymouth.

This website provides information about the emerging proposals.

We would love to hear your feedback and any questions you might have via the comments section of this website. 

Background

The site is allocated for development in the current local plan. Outline planning permission was granted in December 2020, which establishes the principle of a mixed-use development comprising up to 500 dwellings, including affordable housing; up to 8 ha of employment land (to include a new hotel, residential care home, car show rooms and other employment land); land for a new primary school; a new local centre; public open spaces, new accesses and roads, and associated infrastructure.

The whole site will be developed in several phases, with Lovell Homes and Abri seeking to bring forward only the housing element at this stage. They aim to submit a planning application in summer 2021, with a view to starting the build in 2022. Future planning applications will be submitted to allow for the development of the remainder of the site.

Lovell Homes and Abri are experienced developers, with a successful track record of delivery in the Southwest. They are working on a detailed proposal, which will have a range of housing types, including detached, semidetached, terraces, flats and bungalows in both market and affordable tenures. A dedicated project team of technical specialists is assisting in drawing up the proposals.

Evolution

It is important to stress that our proposals are still evolving and your feedback will influence the form and content of the planning application.

However, in formulating the concept design, we have had to be mindful of:

• the parameters set by the outline planning permission, which this planning application must respect;
• site opportunities and constraints, for example drainage, ecology and the site’s setting in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty;
• the character of the surrounding area;
• national and local planning policies; and
• viability considerations.

The team has also engaged with the Council through its pre-application advice service. The proposals have been informed by two rounds of pre-application discussions with the Council’s planning, landscape, urban design, drainage and highway teams.

Relevant Development Plan documents and supplementary guidance all of which has been subject to extensive public consultation.

Opportunities and constraints

The project team has put together a landscape design strategy, design code and a framework masterplan to help inform the proposals.

The landscape design strategy makes clear that the development will be landscape-led, with a 50:50 split of green space to built form and accessible green space and green streets throughout the site. Native species wildlife corridors would be created, reinforcing existing biodiversity and encouraging biodiversity gain, while boundary planting would help soften the edges of the development and provide areas for wildlife.

Whilst Lovell and Abri are only delivering the residential element of the site, they are also bringing forward the strategic landscaping, so that planting can establish as early as possible.

A Neighbourhood Equipped Area of Play is proposed next to the new school, which we believe would offer a great new facility for children.

The design code follows the principles of the government-endorsed National Model Design Code. These are:

• Context (e.g. local character)
• Movement (e.g. street network, walking and cycling)
• Nature (e.g.planting, ponds and street trees)
• Built form (e.g. building heights and types)
• Identity (e.g. design of buildings)
• Public space (e.g. meeting places)
• Uses (e.g. mix of housing)
• Homes and buildings (e.g. internal space and private amenity space)
• Resources (e.g. energy efficiency)
• Lifespan (e.g. future management of the development)

Masterplan

The framework masterplan draws everything together to arrive at a potential layout, as shown below. We are looking to bring forward just the residential element shown within the red line, while the commercial development will come forward at future stages.

The proposed development

The proposed development will include a range of house types, including bungalows, detached, semidetached, terraced and flatted homes, across market and affordable tenures.

Two indicative street scenes can be viewed above and below. Both give a flavour of the range of styles envisaged and the bottom one shows the area of public open space planned at the heart of the development.

Parking and access

The outline planning permission shows two proposed accesses from Littlemoor Road to serve the residential development. As subsequent phases are built out, further accesses will be formed to the west. Internal links will be provided to ensure good connectivity to the new school, commercial land and local centre.

Every home will have dedicated parking, plus there will be provision for electric vehicle charging.

In order to help with drainage, land will be set aside to create water retention ponds. These will create two wildlife networks at the heart of the site, which will also provide public open space. Meanwhile, a belt of woodland will stretch along the northern boundary, not only helping soften the edges of the development, but also providing additional habitat. Tree-lined streets will help with creating wildlife networks, while planting, including wildflower verges, will be of native species. Bat and bird boxes will be situated in key locations.

Next steps

We will consider all of the feedback received to see if our proposals can be improved or otherwise address issues through the form and content of the planning application.

It is envisaged that a planning application will be submitted to Dorset Council in summer 2021. The application will contain all final plans and technical assessments.