Plan for 130 new homes given go-ahead after appeal

A plan for 130 new homes has been given the go-ahead after it was originally turned down by a council.
Developer Hallam Land Management appealed the application for land north of Ward's Drove in Blandford St Mary after it was rejected by Dorset Council.
The authority said it was concerned about the impact on the Cranborne Chase National Landscape and on nearby listed buildings, including the village's Grade II* listed St Mary's Church.
But planning inspector Matthew Jones said the impact on them would be acceptable and approved the application on 21 May.
Mr Jones said he acknowledged there might be some impact on local services but that it was not the role of the development "to alleviate existing issues or the effects of other developments".
The new homes will sit close to Bellway's 350-home development, St Mary's Hill.
You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.