Town councillors in Dorchester are being urged to support 'infill' housing in the town to offset the need for the Dorchester North scheme.

They are being asked to back proposals in the local plan review for new housing off Castle Park, south of St Georges Road and off Alington Avenue.

But they say that work will need to be completed to reduce the noise of the bypass for any new homes, to tackle flooding and also to protect the setting of Max Gate, Thomas Hardy's home.

Town councillors have been told that any development would have to ensure that existing public rights of way are maintained and to provide new cycle and walking routes.

Cllr Stella Jones said that Castle Park residents had previously opposed plans for new homes in the area. She said that if development were to go ahead they would need to be reassured about access to the site which could be off Celtic Crescent or through the play area opposite Prince of Wales School.

"If we don't want the development north of Dorchester we have got to use sites like this," she told the town council's planning committee.

The committee is expected to finalise its responses to the Local Plan review at its next meeting.