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12. CROSSWAYS

12.1 INTRODUCTION

12.1.1 Crossways is a large village that has a comparatively short history, developing from a World War 2 fighter base which operated until 1946, and then becoming an important area for sand and gravel extraction. It now has a population of just over 2,260. The village has a range of local services, though their provision has not always kept pace with development. These facilities are also dispersed around the village, and the village lacks a defined centre. Recent development has provided opportunities to improve the local facilities, including a new first school.

12.1.2 Due to the relatively unconstrained nature of the available land around the village, Crossways has the potential for a significant scale of development. Moreton Station within the adjoining parish of Moreton in Purbeck is on the Weymouth to Waterloo railway line and provides an opportunity for public transport accessibility to jobs, shops and services.

12.2 VISION FOR CROSSWAYS

12.2.1 In 2031 Crossways:

  • will have a reasonable balance of homes, jobs and community facilities;
  • will have a strong sense of identity and place, as one of the larger Dorset villages, reflecting its unique history;
  • will have good links to Dorchester, including taking advantage of the opportunities of its proximity to a frequent rail service.

MAIN DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

12.2.2 There are a number of sites around Crossways which provide opportunities for significant development. These include:

  • Land to the north – adjoining the most recent area of development at Woodsford Fields and leading up to the railway line, with the potential to link to the station in the adjoining district of Purbeck;
  • Land to the south-east – to the east of Warmwell Road. This development has the potential to focus community facilities in a central location. The function of the Warmwell Road within the village will need to be carefully considered;
  • Land to the south-west – land to the southern side of the link road to Dorchester is more segregated from the heart of the village, but does provide a good location for employment.

12.2.3 Only the site to the south-east has been allocated for development in the plan period to 2031.

12.3 LAND AT CROSSWAYS

12.3.1 Development of land around Crossways provides a unique opportunity to enhance the character of the settlement and provide more of a community focus. The provision of additional employment and community facilities in conjunction with any housing development is important to increase the village’s relative self-containment and reduce the need to travel. Development should also take advantage of the village’s proximity to the railway line, and provide safer pedestrian and cycle access to it. Land to the south east of the existing village, on the southern side of the Warmwell Road, has been identified as the most appropriate location for growth. The development could deliver in the region of 500 new homes and a minimum of 3.5 ha for employment. In terms of the distribution of uses, the area to the north-east is likely to be more suited to employment uses as a key employment site. Opportunities for district heating networks along with other sustainable development issues for the site should be explored through a nationally recognised assessment, such as BREEAM Communities.

12.3.2 There are internationally protected heathlands in the wider surrounding area and it will be essential that any adverse impacts from additional recreational pressure are avoided. Sufficient attractive informal recreation land will need to be made available within easy walking distance of the development, through the provision of a strategic network of green spaces. There are also designated and non-designated heritage assets either on or close to the site. Just outside the allocation, the earthworks of Bowley’s Camp Scheduled Monument is present within Bowley’s Plantation. Old maps show that the above-ground embankments of the monument originally extended westwards onto the allocated site. The setting of this heritage asset and the impact of development upon its significance, must be taken into consideration and be used to inform the distribution and scale of built form on the site. There are also opportunities to enhance the public understanding of the monument.

12.3.3 Although development in this area can come forward, further work is required to properly plan the development, including the necessary phasing of infrastructure. In addition, there are potentially viable deposits of sand and gravel around Crossways and these will need to be safeguarded from sterilisation by the development. Work will be needed to establish if any viable mineral deposits will be affected and there is the possibility of prior extraction.

12.3.4 On and off-site provision and contributions to community infrastructure will be sought in line with policy COM 1 and secured through a section 106 legal agreement.

12.3.5 In terms of the development site identified in CRS 1, cross-boundary cooperation with Purbeck District Council is needed to ensure that the road and rail connections and impact on nearby heathlands is reflected in both local plans. Looking to the future, a Partial Review of the Purbeck Local Plan has recently commenced and West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland Councils will work closely with Purbeck District Council to ensure that any development opportunities in the Crossways and Moreton Station area are fully coordinated through joint masterplanning work.

CRS 1. LAND AT CROSSWAYS

i) Land at Crossways, as shown on the policies map, will provide for a comprehensive mixed-use development to include new homes, local community facilities and at least 3.5ha of employment land.
ii) The development will be required to mitigate any adverse effects upon internationally designated heathlands.
iii) The development will be required to incorporate measures to secure effective avoidance and mitigation of any potential adverse effect of additional nutrient loading upon the Poole Harbour internationally designated sites.
iv) The development will deliver highway improvements necessary for the development to go ahead. The site should be developed in accordance with a comprehensive masterplan for the village prepared by the developer / landowner in conjunction with Crossways Parish Council, adjoining parish councils, Dorset County Council, Purbeck District Council, Network Rail and the local community, and agreed by West Dorset District Council. In order to address sustainable development issues, the masterplan will need to be subject to a sustainability assessment, such as a BREEAM Communities Assessment, carried out by a suitably qualified assessor. The masterplan should ensure that:

  • There is an appropriate mix and layout of uses, including community facilities within the village and there is adequate provision of community infrastructure;
  • The layout secures opportunities to provide improved access and recreational use and promote biodiversity within a network of spaces. This will include the provision and location of Suitable Alternative Natural Green Space (SANGS);
  • Good links to the wider footpath and cycle network are provided through the village. This should include pedestrian/cycle links to Moreton station;
  • The design and layout relates positively to the surrounding area, enhances local character and does not have an adverse impact on the landscape setting of the village;
  • Existing hedgerows, trees and woodland within the development are retained where possible and provision for their future retention and management put in place;
  • Sustainable drainage methods are implemented to manage surface water flooding issues and ensure flood risk The development is appropriately phased;
  • The layout of the development protects and preserves the significance of Bowley’s Camp scheduled monument.

 

CRS 2. LAND AROUND CROSSWAYS

i) The district council will work with Purbeck District Council, Crossways Parish Council, adjoining Parish Councils, Dorset County Council and Network Rail to undertake joint evidence gathering, including on constraints to ensure that over the long term, the most appropriate solutions to meeting the needs of both authorities are fully understood and explored and thereafter expressed in future planning policy documents, including master planning work.



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