Local residents have been contacting ADVEARSE to express concern that there has been no news about a start date for the roundabout on the A35. Another six weeks have passed since the developers of the Foundry Lea site reaffirmed that they would be honouring their legal commitment to create a roundabout at Miles Cross as a condition for planning permission to build 760 houses at Vearse Farm. In the past 2 years we have had a series of anticipated start dates which have been and gone.

ADVEARSE has contacted the developers to seek reassurance but has had no reply. A spokesperson for the group commented.

There was widespread opposition to this massive housing development but there was a hope that it would be accompanied by employment on the other part of the site and improvements to the dangerous road junction at Miles Cross. At present neither are forthcoming. There is growing cynicism about whether the roundabout will ever be built. We monitor Dorset Council’s website which publishes planned road works on Dorset roads and can see none planned on the A35 for the next 12 months.

There is a legal agreement between Dorset Council and the developers that the roundabout must be opened before houses can be occupied. Building work has continued on the site but we have had reports that this has slowed.

ADVEARSE will be asking Dorset Councillors to enforce the legal agreement. There are clearly some problems in getting approval for the construction of the roundabout. We would argue that local people are entitled to know what those obstacles are. It has been suggested that the builders have spent so much on this preparation stage they need to sell houses in order to fund the roundabout. We cannot accept this as a reason from two multi-million-pound companies. When Vearse Farm was first suggested as a site for a major housing scheme in 2012 Taylor Wimpey refused to back it on the grounds that the site was in their opinion not viable. Barratt and Vistry now need to face up to the reality of the site and honour their commitments. This must include a start date for the roundabout.

For more information contact ADVEARSE via advearse@aol.com