Agenda item

Change of use of agricultural land to camping site for 42 days per year.

 

An update on the application had been included in an update sheet circulated to the committee prior to the meeting.

 

The Senior Planning Officer introduced a presentation, which showed the site location, an ariel photograph which located the holiday park and photographs from the north-eastern corner of the site.

 

The presentation highlighted the key issues such as, the camp site’s location on an AONB, a heritage coast, world heritage site and the South Dorset Coast SSSI and the threat to biodiversity and traffic.

 

The presentation also outlined the background of the site which covered 36.2 hectares and 9 camping fields, operated 28 days of the year under permitted development rights.

 

The operation period was announced, and the committee was informed of the site boundaries, as well as the supporting information which showed the camp sites during operation and the planning history of the site which had two recent planning applications.

 

The planning officer recommended the refusal of a previous application for the site due to concerns raised pertaining to the width of access and the nature of the roads in the area. However, the highways authority did not put forward any formal objections to the current application.

 

The presentation also informed the committee of the economic benefits such as, payroll, direct expenditure and visitor and tourism expenditure but also added that the economic benefit is not sufficient to overcome the harm to the landscape.

 

Jill Dunning, addressed the committee in objection to the application as

Chairman of the Osmington Mills Protection Group. She covered issues such as, traffic during the holiday season, visitor numbers, campsite disturbance, damage, weakening the character of the countryside, the concern with setting a precedence if allowed and she encouraged the committee to ensure that the AONB was preserved.

 

Jane Lock, a local resident in the area, addressed the committee in objection to the application. She made the committee aware of the issues of campfires, expressed concerns of discarded toilet paper, the smell of urine and littering along the coastal path which came from the campsite as well as human waste leaking out of eco-toilets into the SSSI protected cliffs and requested that the air quality should be checked.

 

Charlotte Dempsey was invited to address the committee and spoke about the commercialisation of the countryside and the 28 days festival like atmosphere, while walkers tried to enjoy the countryside. She expressed that the camping was not discreet or hidden from view, and equipment was located right at the edge of the coastal path.

 

Peter Broatch, the Applicant addressed the committee in support of the application, with a focus on what the campsite would provide such as products, services, and a stable operating schedule. The applicant added that many people return to the campsite, and the campsites offered great value for local society, which provided a large amount of accommodation without built up infrastructure.

 

The applicant expressed a wish to continue to return the land to farming after the season and pointed out that biodiversity would be worse with farming than camping as there would be intensive farming on the site if camping were not allowed. The applicant informed that he had planted woodland and that lots of people appreciated seeing families enjoy themselves.

 

The chair invited the Committee to ask technical questions and members noted that the case hinged on the AONB. Further questions were asked covering the ownership of the track, the relevance of where tourists travel. and if the senior planning officer had approached businesses to determine the economic benefits of the campsite. Clarification was also sought regarding the distance between the campsite and the cliff edge and if there had been any environmental health complaints.

 

The Senior Planning Officer then went on to answer the members questions stating that the AONB officer objected to 28 days previously and that he consulted highways officers who expressed multiple issues, although did not object to the application as the existing access met all requirements. and there were no reasons to object to the application.

 

The officer also stated that there are options to manage traffic through conditions and clarified that the applicant was not the owner but had served appropriate notice on the current owner of the track.

 

The officer once again clarified that there is a right for the applicant to apply for planning permission on the land if owner given notice.  He then also answered that he did not make direct approaches to businesses, but a financial report was submitted, which set out the spend on local community and payroll of the site.

 

The committee was informed that conditions can be added that require a waste management plan.

 

It was discussed that environmental health did not make any objections to the application.

 

The chair invited members to debate.

 

Issues were discussed about the increasing traffic in the area and the issue with tourism.

 

It was also considered by Cllrs regarding reducing speed limits, fatalities of cyclists on roads, the benefits environmentally of camping locally when compared to going on holiday abroad/ contributions to the local economy.

 

Cllr Clayton recognised that the report only mentioned emissions from vehicles, site facilities and campsites but neglected to consider the emissions saved by not travelling abroad.

 

Cllr O’leary raised issues of increasing congestion in the summer and becoming a busier area during the summer months, as over 100 hotels, 3 or 4 holidays parks and other campsites in Weymouth who can already experience the AONB. Having a campsite there, ruins and impacts the AONB and concluded that this is a bridge too far and should be refused.

 

Cllr O’leary proposed refusal of the application in accordance with the report recommendation.  This was seconded by Cllr Kate Wheller, however, upon being put to a vote the proposal was not supported by the committee.

 

Cllr Bolwell proposed that the application be approved with suitable conditions, this was seconded by Cllr Pipe. Members suggested some conditions that might be included.

 

A short adjournment took place from 11.23 – 11.47 in order that officers could draft an appropriate list of conditions.

 

The meeting reconvened and members were advised of the new recommendation and conditions.  The proposer and seconder confirmed that they were content with these.

 

Decision: That authority be Delegated to the Head of Planning and the Service Manager for Development Management and Enforcement to Approve subject to the expiration of the statutory consultation period resulting from notification of landowners and having regard to any comments received in response to that consultation, planning conditions, with the final wording being agreed with the Chairman of the Western and Southern Planning Committee, discussion with the landowner in respect of pre-commencement conditions and the completion of an Appropriate Assessment, including any requirement for a planning obligation to secure mitigation for any significant likely effects identified by the Appropriate Assessment and subject to the conditions outlined in the appendix to these minutes.