SIX homes planned for a farm site in Dorchester have failed to impress Dorchester Town councillors.

Planning and environment committee members say they are unhappy that trees on the Fordington Farm site, off Armada Way, have already been felled to make way for the scheme – before a decision is made on the application, although Tree Protection Orders have now been made on those remaining.

They also claim the scheme, from Sturminster Newton-based J&F Properties (Southern) Ltd, will be an overdevelopment, if allowed to go ahead as proposed, with the access so tight that future residents will have to pull their bins to the main road for collection because refuse lorries would not be able to get into and out of the site.

"It feels to me that the developers are trying to rush things through, rather than get it right" said Cllr Molly Rennie.

The scheme designs show a mixture of semi-detached and detached homes with fourteen parking spaces provided between them.

Dilapidated former dairy buildings on the site will be demolished as part of the re-development. Although a farm the site is surrounded on all sides by housing it has continued to be a working farm.

Concerns were also raised by the town planning committee over a proposed access to the site over a footpath off Armada Way with councillors asking for clarification before Dorset Council makes the final decision on the plans.