THE ball’s in the community’s court if it wants to see a communal farm, low cost housing models and affordable business units on the Vearse Farm development in Bridport.

That’s what Bridport Town Councillors heard at their plans meeting on Monday.

Workshops have been taking place between Hallam developers, West Dorset District Council and community groups to thrash out details of a master plan for the site which could see more than 700 homes.

District council planning officer Andrew Martin told members of the planning committee on Monday that Hallam was keen to accommodate ideas for a community farm, affordable housing and employment sites – but the initiative needs to come from the community.

He said the council wanted ideas in the master plan to be binding – in case whoever developed the site was ‘the worst imaginable’.

Mr Martin said: “What we as a planning authority need to be certain of is that this master plan contains a series of binding principles.

“If we get the worst developer one can imagine that master plan has to be absolutely binding so we get those things we consider to be absolutely critical to the successful development of this site.”

He said more workshops were planned particularly to get feedback on issues like affordable homes.

He added: “The local plan policy talks about a proportion of the employment allocation being made available as low cost business units.

“ Hallam have said they are quite open to that suggestion but again they are looking for a local initiative and again there have been talks about a community land trust taking that forwards.

“The other idea that is particularly critical is the idea of a community farm.

“I can dream up ideas, Hallam can dream up ideas but the best way to move that forward is for somebody within the community to grab the initiative and come up with a plan so that we can stitch that into these documents.

“As far as models for affordable housing, low cost employment and a community farm we are pushing at an open door if we can come up with some locally inspired initiatives.”

He said technical issues about the flood plain were close to being agreed with the Environment Agency and talks with Highways England about Miles Cross had seen agreement on the specifications for the roundabout but not the traffic light solution.

Cllr Sarah Horniman asked questions about the economic viability of the scheme and affordable housing.

Mr Martin said the council still wanted 35 per cent but if Highways England wanted the development to pay for a roundabout that would have a huge impact.

He said: “If Highways England takes the position that it wants Vearse Farm to fund entirely whatever solution is concluded for Miles Cross as you can imagine that is going to be a huge expense.

“The problems of Miles Cross are not just of Vearse Farm’s making. Others should be making a contribution. That is all well and good but if they say we haven’t got any money Vearse Farm is going to put us in an invidious position.”

He said in that case there would be difficult discussions and the big list of things the council wants to secure on the back of this development would have to be prioritised.