A LARGE public demonstration against proposals to build thousands of new homes in Purbeck was due to take place on Saturday, April 5.

The Dorset branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)organised the protest meeting, which was due to take place at Lytchett Matravers village hall from 10am.

They were to object to recommendations from a report to build a 2,750-home "western extension" on green belt land at Lytchett Matravers, Lytchett Minster and Upton.

The controversial South West Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) report, published in February, aims to address Dorset's housing need by 2026.

"No democratic council or other body asked for this new town," said Terry Stewart, president of Dorset CPRE.

"It was merely proposed by an opportunistic developer - and now the regional enquiry panel has tried to impose it on the people of Dorset."

In total, the RSS report recommends 5,150 new homes be built in Purbeck - the largest increase for any district in the South West.

A public inquiry into the proposed RSS was held in 2007, but the CPRE say the inspection panel failed to take into account the views of the regional assembly.

Mr Stewart said: "Our democratic councils and the CPRE had produced a large amount of research and consultants' reports for the inquiry, but these were totally ignored by the inspector.

"So much for the government's promise to protect green belts.

"The policy is solely driven by maximising housing numbers."

As well as CPRE, Purbeck council, architects and urban designers will be at tomorrow's meeting.

They will discuss the impact the extra houses will have on the green belt, residents' quality of life and the lack of infrastructure funding for the new town.

Purbeck council has already voted to oppose the RSS proposals and has until May, when formal consultation begins, to prepare its case.