Plans to build apartments, commercial units and a Costa café drive-through in West Parley have been described as “trying to fit a square peg into a round hole”.
If given the go-ahead the corner site, off New Road and Christchurch Road at Parley Cross, would include 50 sheltered flats for McCarthy Stone as well as 25 open market apartments and proposals for a public park and square.
Public comments on the proposals can still be made to Dorset Council.
West Parley Parish Council is among those opposing the development.
A public consultation about the proposals was held in St Mark’s Church Hall in August with a virtual consultation running until early September – involving more than 2,000 people.
Public comments on the proposals made to Dorset Council so far on the formal submission of the plans include claims of overdevelopment and “trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.”
A Berkley Avenue resident said: “I attended the Parish Council meeting when this proposal was put forward by the developers.
“Didn’t they get the very strong message that this development is NOT wanted by the residents?
“Bellway homes next door aren’t selling, why would these… I really can’t believe they are going ahead after everything we residents objected to in the meeting!”
Another said the area was already suffering from too much traffic and with the airport expansion would only get worse, even without the new housing proposals.
“Create a green space here instead of all this nonsense,” said another West Parley resident, who did welcome the café and community gardens plans.
West Parley Parish Council told Dorset Council: “The Parish Council very strongly objects to this proposal which offers a poor architectural design with the height, the flat roof and a poor street scene design which is out of keeping with the parish & is not even in keeping with the current new development architecture.
“The proposed 4 storey flat roof design is overbearing on this landmark site at the heart of the village.
“There is concern that the main building is too close to the last remaining protected trees on the site.
“The roads of West Parley are already congested and this proposal for additional dwellings on the site will bring additional vehicles, compared to the original allocation for offices and retail.
“It must be acknowledged that all of this is proposed adjacent to the busiest junction in Dorset and we consider it to be complete overdevelopment.”
- Public comments on the proposals, Dorset Council reference 2024/06847, close on January 23.