Poundbury Development Brief

The Poundbury Development Brief was adopted on 19 December 2006. It has the status of supplementary planning document (SPD), and will be used when decisions are taken on planning applications as part of the local development framework.

The development brief relates to land to the west of Dorchester, within the bypass, that is allocated in the adopted West Dorset District Council Local Plan (July 2006). See chapter 13 of the local plan by following the link on the right (see Current Local Plan in 'related articles').

The independent planning inspector's report of the local plan inquiry (January 2006) concludes that the continuing development of Poundbury is essential to realise the settlement and housing strategies of the local plan over the coming years. When finished, the whole of the Poundbury development will provide over 2,200 homes, with a resident population in the region of 5,000 people. A brief history of the Poundbury development can be read by clicking on the link to the right.

The Poundbury Development Brief sets out a number of development principles relating to:

Character and the development of new neighbourhoods
Types and location of green spaces
The network of streets, pedestrian and cycle paths plus provision for public transport (buses)
The scale and intensity of development including the location and design of landmark buildings
The mix of uses including affordable housing, employment and community facilities
Detailed design considerations such as the relationship between new buildings and the street, parking layouts, use of traditional styles and local materials
Sustainable and energy efficient buildings
The impact of the development on the natural environment

Consultation

West Dorset District Council, with the help of the Dorchester Area Community Partnership, involved the community in extensive consultation as part of preparing a draft version of the document. Throughout the process consultation feedback reports were prepared and published. These reports can be read by clicking on the links to the right.

The draft brief was then subject to a six-week period of formal public consultation before a final amended version was adopted. 650 representations were submitted during the formal consultation period for the draft brief. A summary of the comments made and suggested changes considered by committee at the adoption stage, can be read by clicking the link on the right.

Sustainability appraisal

Under the new planning system, a sustainability appraisal must be carried out. This identifies the social, economic and environmental issues relevant to the development. These issues have been used to develop a sustainability checklist to test the emerging principles. If, as the brief was prepared, we found that a policy performed badly, then the checklist will have identified this and allowed us to make the necessary changes before the draft document was finalised.

The final assessment of the draft development brief is set out the sustainability appraisal report (also adopted on 19 December 2006). The report, together with the technical annexes and a summary leaflet of the findings, can be viewed by clicking on the links to the right.

Where to find the documents

Copies of all the documents can be inspected at the council offices in Dorchester and at Dorchester library and downloaded from this website. Copies can also be bought at the following prices: