Weymouth home to be demolished and replaced with six houses

Objections to the proposal, for Dorchester Road, had come from the town’s Civic Society which described the former lodge to Corfe Hill House, as ‘an elegant building’, the loss of which would members said would affect the street scene.

There had also been complaints about trees on the site having already been felled prior to the application being decided – although councillors were told none of the trees had been protected and there was nothing illegal in bringing them down.

The site, at No 375, is almost opposite the garage and M&S store at the southern end of Dorchester Road.

Area planning committee members heard that the house and a large outbuilding would be removed from the site to make way for six semi-detached homes with 15 parking spaces. Changes would also be made to the entrance to improve access.

They were told that planning officers considered the loss of the existing building justified because of the number of new homes which would be created and that the designs were appropriate to the street scene.

It was said that the new homes would be far enough away from neighbouring properties, especially those in Westmacott Road, for there to be no problems of overlooking as some objectors had claimed.

Highways officers had offered no objection and disputed the claims of some objectors that the development would increase the risk of an accident because of a potential conflict with garage/shop traffic.

The committee agreed the proposal, delegated to the head of planning to approve subject to conditions about retaining the front wall; including electric car charge points on the site and an appropriate agreement which would minimise the impact on neighbouring homes during construction.