CAMPAIGNERS have voiced concerns as residents were reassured that proposed housing sites around Bridport could be left alone as part of the new local plan.

People are being urged to have their say on changes to where housing should be built over the next 20 years.

The West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland Local Plan is being reviewed after a government inspector insisted that more housing allocation was included in the document, which is to be extended from 2031 to 2036.

As part of the review, authorities have held a series of drop-in sessions for people to learn more and take part in a public consultation with dozens turning up at Bridport Leisure Centre last week.

Campaigners have raised fears that potential sites around Bridport could be earmarked for development including Happy Island Way, land east of Lee Lane, north of Bradpole and Walditch, west of Allington, east of West Bay, north of Townsend Way and west of Pymore.

Potential sites for housing have also been identified in Beaminster and Lyme Regis.

Trevor Warrick, spatial policy and implementation manager for the Dorset Council’s Partnership, said that not all options would be allocated for development.

He said: “We are looking at providing sites for around 4,000 additional homes, whereas all these potential sites combined are more than 20,000 extra homes, so it’s significantly above what we need.

“We think that is useful because it gives us a dialogue with the local communities.”

He added: “We can only take account of people’s views if they take part in the process.

“We would encourage people to do that so we are fully up to speed with people’s opinions and we can take that into account when we produce another draft.

“What we want to do is try and build as much consensus as we can before we submit it.

“At that point, it really comes out of local hands before we then hand it over to the inspector.”

Members of the King Charles Estate Residents’ Association protested outside the consultation event last week. Chairman of the group, Chris Savory, hit out at potentially allocating more housing space in the Bridport area.

He said: “We are very upset at having to campaign again for the third time in five years over the same issues.

“Now before the ink has dried on the local plan, which already allocates sites for 1,000 new houses in Bridport, the Happy Island fields are once again being proposed for development in another consultation, with 370 houses proposed on the adjoining fields.

“We’ve been consulted twice and it was made very clear to the council that there is enormous opposition to developing so close to this precious and iconic local beauty spot.

“It feels like they are going to keep coming back with consultations until we either give up or die.”

To take part in the consultation, visit dorsetforyou/local-plan-review before April 3.