Dorset’s future is being drawn up now – and unless residents speak up, crucial local knowledge and concerns will be left out of the Local Plan
Dorset’s draft Local Plan will shape where we all live, work and travel for the next 20 years – and residents have just a few weeks to influence its contents. Cllr Sherry Jespersen, who represents Hill Forts and Upper Tarrants ward on Dorset Council, believes it’s one of the most important consultations the county has ever run. After 13 years in local government – including chairing Dorset Council’s Northern Area Planning Committee – Sherry has become one of North Dorset’s most knowledgeable voices on planning. That’s why I sat down with her – to cut through the jargon and understand what the draft Local Plan really means for our
Dorset communities.
‘Planning is the single thing Dorset Council does that has the most impact on people’s lives,’ she says. ‘I’d say around 30 per cent of the help I give residents is related to planning. So I’ve had to learn how it works.’
And how it works, she says, is often misunderstood.
‘Planning is a quasi-judicial process – it’s not intuitive, or based on whether a proposal “feels right”. You can only refuse a planning application on material planning grounds. People are often shocked that many common concerns – like loss of a view – simply aren’t valid reasons for refusal. ‘With the Local Plan consultation, I know people are going to say “our village has taken our fair share”, and we’ll have to explain that it’s not about fair shares. Some villages may have to take more than others – just because you think you’ve done your bit doesn’t mean you won’t be asked to take more.
It feels instinctively unjust – take a village like Marnhull: residents may well say, “You can’t expect us to take any more”. But, alas, that’s simply not a planning consideration. It’s extremely legalistic, extremely technical – things are either a planning consideration or they’re not.’
The system, she says, can be deeply frustrating. ‘I’ve sat in planning committees and had to instruct the committee to give permission for something because there were no legal grounds to turn it down – while looking at the residents who live next door with tears in their eyes, knowing the decision would seriously impact their quality of life. That can be very hard as a councillor.’
Don’t get distracted
Now, with Dorset’s draft Local Plan consultation under way, Sherry says the public has a rare and real opportunity to influence how Dorset might look over the next two decades.
‘This consultation matters to everyone – not just people whose villages might have a site proposed. It sets the framework for housing, employment, schools, transport, even gypsy and traveller sites.’
But she urges people not to be overwhelmed by the headlines. ‘Yes, there’s a huge number – more than 50,000 homes across Dorset. But we must remember, not every site in the draft will make it through. This is a genuine consultation – some sites will be rejected, and residents can have a vital role in making that case.’
The key, she says, is to focus locally. ‘Don’t get distracted fighting that big number – look at what’s proposed near you. Is it suitable? Is it supported by infrastructure? What do locals know about the ground? What could be improved? Do you want to suggest an alternative? That kind of detailed feedback is exactly what the council needs.’
And it’s not just about saying “no”, she says. ‘Local people are well aware that we need more affordable housing.
‘You may look at some of the proposed sites and think, “actually, that’s a good idea”. Towns need to grow, and some of those sites around our towns are really well thought through.
‘You can say, “I support this development – it would be helpful.” Or: “I think some housing here is fine, but 120 homes is too many – what if we only used the middle field?” It’s a genuine dialogue.
‘And it’s really important that it is not just left to the professionals – the town and parish councils, CPRE, the National Landscapes teams. They’re brilliant, but we must hear from Mr and Mrs Smith too. They have a view, and it matters.’
It’s not just houses
‘There’s a question in the consultation that asks about infrastructure – roads, bus stops, GP surgeries, schools,’ says Cllr Jespersen. ‘I’m urging everyone to focus on that section in particular. And don’t just say what you want – say what’s missing, and why that matters.
‘We’ve seen too many speculative developments, where the housing goes up but the infrastructure never follows. That’s the most damaging thing for any community.
‘Even with planned developments, the infrastructure often comes at the end. Dorset Council has no legal power to control the speed of each phase, so residents are sometimes left waiting for years.
‘Look at the north Blandford development. People were told it would ‘bring a new school’. But all that was actually approved was a plot where one could be built – eventually …
‘We need people to explain that experience in their own words – not just what’s needed, but how and why past developments have let communities down. That’s the only way to shape Dorset into something better.
Facebook doesn’t count
Sherry is particularly concerned about the lack of public transport in rural Dorset – and the utterly unrealistic assumption that villages will somehow receive new services to match all the new housing they’re getting.
‘Many of our larger villages – places like Child Okeford, Marnhull and Pimperne – will take some new housing in the Local Plan. They’re designated “larger villages” because they already have a shop or a pub,’ says Sherry. ‘But let’s be honest – most of them don’t have the infrastructure necessary for sustainable growth.
‘If you build 200 new homes in a village where the only transport option is a car, then you’re not building a community – you’re building a dormitory.
‘Dorset Council is committed to Net Zero, and we’re leading the way in some areas. But we cannot reach that goal if we keep adding housing to places with no public transport. And right now, there’s no plan to introduce new rural bus services in the north of the county.’
She urges residents to engage not only with the Local Plan, but also with the council’s parallel Transport Action Plan. ‘If you care about rural bus services – and about what kind of places we’re building – please read both. It takes five minutes to say: “If you want us to take these houses, we need the buses to go with them.” The two plans must talk to each other. At the moment, they don’t.’
Importantly, she reminds residents that social media posts won’t count. ‘By all means, discuss it on Facebook – I watch those conversations myself. Some of the points people make are full of insight and on-the-ground knowledge. But unless you submit your comments to the official consultation, they won’t be considered.’
Ultimately, she says, people should see this as a chance to shape their own future. ‘It’s not about saying no to everything. It’s about helping to make sure we get the right development, in the right place, with the right infrastructure to support it.’
The consultation runs until 14th October 2025 – and whether you’re for or against what’s proposed, your voice won’t be heard unless you speak up.
Find it at: dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/planning-buildings-land/planning-policy/dorset-council-local-plan
