A CONSULTATION has been launched to help people have a say over where they think thousands of homes should be built in Dorset.

Dorset Council is putting together its Local Plan which will help guide development in the county, including housing, employment, Gypsy and traveller sites and renewable energy.

The plan will help Dorset meets its development needs over the next 15 to 20 years and will be used to inform planning decisions.

And alongside it, the Local Transport Plan, developed with Bournemouth Christchurch Poole Council, will look at how to make travel across the county safer, cleaner and more reliable.

The hottest issue of the Local Plan is housing allocation, as the council is facing pressure from Government to address its housing shortage.

This comes after Deputy Prime Minister and secretary of state for housing, Angela Rayner said she is committed to building 1.5 million new homes in the next five years.

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Campaigners have described the proposed housing allocation for the county as “unrealistic” due to the large areas of protected landscapes.

Dorset Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) said the housing figure for Dorset – some 3,300 extra homes a year – is nearly twice the average annual completion rate.

They said a more realistic completion rate would be 1,800 per year and suggested the council should not blindly follow the government’s calculation.

A Dorset CPRE spokesperson said: “Dorset Council therefore has a mandate to take a constrained approach to developing a new Local Plan that respects our communities and Dorset’s very special environment and heritage.

“The council’s Local Plan should be based on housing figures which accurately reflect Dorset’s real housing needs, including for truly affordable homes for local people.”

Councillor Shane Bartlett, cabinet member for planning and emergency planning, said this marks a “big moment” for Dorset.

“This is a big moment for Dorset. We have tough housing targets to meet that the government has set, but I’m also mindful that we’re planning for real lives, not just numbers on a page,” he said.

The council is also engaging with schools, ensuring that young people, who will live with the consequences of today’s decisions, have a voice in the process.

Councillor Jon Andrews, portfolio holder for place services said: “You can’t plan new homes or business opportunities without thinking about how people will get to work, school or the shops,”

“The new Transport Plan is about making everyday journeys easier, cleaner and more reliable, and we want the public to help guide that thinking.”

3,750 homes have been proposed for land north of Dorchester in the plan, with work to bring 850 homes expected to start in 2028.

The consultation is open from August 18 to October 13, 2025 and can be accessed by clicking here. 

All comments must be received by the end of October 13. The online consultation is available at the Dorset Council Local Plan webpage – www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/dorset-is-changing.

The consultation documents are also available to view in hard copy in the reception of County Hall, Colliton Park, Dorchester, DT1 1XJ, as well as local libraries.

Drop in events will take place across the county in the coming months, with opportunities to find out more about the proposals. A list of drop in events can be found by clicking here.