Dorset’s outstanding natural beauty and rich heritage bring specific challenges for new development. A wide range of planning constraints, such as protected landscapes, heritage sites, flood zones, and biodiversity considerations, must be taken into account.
Dorset’s unique environmental and historic qualities
Dorset has one of the highest concentrations in England of:
- Archaeological features
- Sites of national and international importance for nature conservation
These elements contribute to the county’s rich biodiversity and scenic value. While they enhance Dorset’s character, they also mean that development must be carefully planned to respect and protect these assets.
Early advice is essential
Before making your planning application we encourage applicants to consider using our pre-application advice service. This service gives you the opportunity to discuss your proposals with us, identify any issues that might need to be considered and find out what information you need to support your application. Understanding the full range of constraints at the outset can help guide development proposals and avoid delays.
A useful starting point is Dorset Explorer Planning Public, which provides an overview of key environmental and planning data. There are a range of constraints that may need to be considered when developing in Dorset.
Dorset’s protected and sensitive areas
Dorset’s rural and urban environments include a wide array of protected features:
Landscape and Nature Conservation:
- Green Belt tightly drawn around south-east Dorset
- two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) covering 53% of the county
- 141 sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) including:
- 11,620 ha of Special Protection Areas (SPAs)
- 12,760 ha of candidate Special Areas of Conservation (cSACs)
- 10,350 ha of Ramsar wetlands
- 1,250 Sites of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCIs)
Historic and Cultural Heritage:
- 1,016 Scheduled Ancient Monuments
- 31 Historic Parks and Gardens, with protection for both features and their settings
- over 9,500 Listed Buildings
- 190 Conservation Areas
Article 4 Directions
Directions under Article 4 help preserve the character of places like Conservation Areas by restricting certain permitted development rights. Before starting work, check if your site is affected using the Dorset Explorer Planning Public.
Mineral safeguarding
Large areas of rural Dorset contain important mineral resources. Most of these resources are safeguarded from future development of land. The Minerals Strategy 2014 identifies, Mineral Consultation Areas and the Mineral Safeguarding Area which seek to protect the important mineral resources in line with advice provided in the National Planning Policy Framework.
These designations help ensure that valuable resources are not lost to inappropriate development. For more detail, refer to Chapter 14 of the Minerals Strategy 2014.
Contact Planning
If you need any guidance, contact planning.