Land west of Southill - Public Consultation
What is a public consultation?
The purpose of this public consultation is to seek the views of community representatives and local residents on our draft proposals for the provision of around 360 new homes, flood risk reduction measures and public open space on land west of Southill, Weymouth. We are holding an in-person event on Tuesday 14 April 2026 alongside the information on this website.
The proposals are to be progressed as an Outline Planning Application setting out the broad principles for the development of the site, not detailed matters such as architecture, design and site layout, the exception being access.
The Site
The site, which has been identified as offering potential for residential development since 2018, is located on the western edge of Weymouth and within the parish of Chickerell. It is currently comprised of grassland and scrub with trees although has previously been used as agricultural land, albeit is classified as predominantly subgrade 3b land.
The Need for Development and Draft Proposals
There is significant need for sites such as land west of Southill to be brought forward for development of new homes as soon as possible. The housing need in Dorset requires 3,246 to be built every year, but only 1,213 were built in the year ending 31 March 2024. The average age of a first-time buyer is now 33 and there are currently almost 7,000 households on Dorset's housing register. Over 2,000 of these are awaiting housing in Weymouth or Chickerell. It is in this context that we are progressing an outline planning application now.
The proposals will deliver around 360 new homes, providing a mix of sizes and tenures, contributing to the housing needs of the area and the wider national housing crisis.
We will seek to provide 35% affordable housing in line with Policy HOUS1 of the West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland Local Plan and consistent with our other high-quality developments locally, which include Nottington Park in Weymouth and Chesil Reach in Chickerell.
The Illustrative Masterplan shows how the development might be laid out.
Full Consultation Information
To view or download our full suite of public consultation information, as shown at the public event held on Tuesday 14 April 2026, please click below.
Summary of Benefits
The proposal will deliver a sustainable extension to Weymouth, providing:
- Around 360 new energy efficient market and affordable (social) homes contributing towards an acute local need
- 4.85ha of public open space (28% of the site) and areas for play
- Sustainable drainage systems and landscape planting offering new habitat creation
- Sustainable drainage systems and landscape planting offering new habitat creation
- Flood risk reduction measures that will reduce the frequency and risk of flooding within Southill
- Homes designed to a high quality with attention to detail and craftsmanship
- Investment in local infrastructure through planning obligations
- Economic investment during the construction phase associated with employment and local spending
- Biodiversity net gain
- Support for existing local services and facilities through local spending
- Additional contributions to Council Tax
Southill, Weymouth, UK