A planning application for 18 houses on the open space behind Dorchester Road and Elwell Street was rejected by the Council in 2019 (see previous news page). The Upwey Society had objected to the proposal.
Although the application was comprehensively rejected by the Council, the developer later resubmitted an application to the new Dorset Council for fundamentally the same scheme (with a few minor changes).
The Society objected to the development on exactly the same grounds as the first time, namely: that the application is contrary to local adopted policy; is situated outside the Defined Development Boundary; that it is within an area designated as an important open gap and the Upwey Conservation area.
Dorset Council did not decide the new application within the laid down timescales. The developer therefore invoked their right of appeal to the Planning Inspectorate (a central Government executive agency). The Upwey Society made a short submission referring the inspector to out porevious objection.
In early April the appeal was rejected.