Residents in Gillingham and the rest of Dorset have been given more time to have their say on Dorset Council’s long-awaited Local Plan.

The deadline for consultation on the Local Plan –  the blueprint for future development in the county – is now Friday 31 October, while the cut-off point for comments on the Local Transport Plan is now Monday 20 October.

The Local Plan has already caused considerable stir in Gillingham, as it has highlighted three new sites for housing development in the town which could lead to 1,190 more homes being built here.

The biggest suggested site is on farmland north of Wavering Lane – an area of 100 acres between the Peacemarsh area and North Dorset rugby club – where the council says around 800 houses could be constructed.

Gillingham Town Council has already made clear its opposition to the plan.

The other proposed sites here are for around 280 homes at Park Farm and a further 100 on land east of Madjeston Farm, both to the south of the town.

Dorset Council says it has extended the deadlines for both plan consultations in response to high ‘levels of public engagement and some problems with the online consultation platform’, for which the council said it ‘apologises’.

The two consultations, which are running simultaneously, have generated ‘significant interest’ from across the county, says the council, but residents have said that the online surveys are ‘very slow to load’ which has made it difficult for some people to submit their views.

Jan Britton, Dorset Council’s Executive Director responsible for planning and transport,  said: ‘We’re really encouraged by the level of interest in both consultations, it shows how much people care about the future of Dorset.

‘We’re sorry that some residents have experienced issues accessing the online platform, and we want to make sure no one is prevented from having their say.

‘That’s why we’re keeping both consultations open online and by email for longer. The Local Transport Plan consultation will stay open until 20 October and the Local Plan consultation until 31 October.

‘We’re also reminding people that alternative formats are available. As well as sending their comments by email, residents can use the Easy Read versions of both plans, which are available on our website as we want to make sure the process is accessible to everyone.’

Residents can continue to respond:

Online: Dorset is changing – Dorset Council

By email:

Local Plan: planningpolicyconsult@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk

Local Transport Plan: ltp@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk

Alternative formats and Easy Read documents are available on the Dorset Council website or by request via the email addresses above.

The council says it is encouraging residents to respond as soon as possible and not leave it until the final days, as ‘high demand may continue to affect access’.