Agenda item

Construction of a slurry lagoon with 1.3m high fence.

With the aid of a visual presentation including plans and aerial photographs, the Case Officer identified the site and explained the proposal and relevant planning policies to members for a County Farm. Photographs of the existing site and views across the site were shown. Members were informed that the proposal was located beyond the field boundary hedge, ensuring that it would have been discreet to mitigate visual impacts. The nearby footpath and bridleway would not have been impacted if members were minded to grant and details of the where the lagoon would have been situated on the site were included as well as further details relating to a manure management plan to reduce odour impacts. The Case Officer informed members that a minor tree was to be removed, however, this had been compensated for and the protection and retention of existing trees and hedgerows and additional planting were secured through conditions. There were no significant concerns relating to flooding or drainage, nor were there any adverse impacts on highway safety as traffic movements would not have increased due to storing the slurry on site. The officer recommendation was to grant subject to conditions set out in the officer report.

Public Participation

The agent thanked the committee for the opportunity to speak. He noted that the recommendation for approval was subject to appropriate conditions and was before members as the farm was owned by Dorset Council. The applicants were tenants of Shortwood Farm and had invested in the necessary slurry infrastructure project in order to ensure that the dairy farm remained viable. The size and features of the lagoon were necessary due to regulation and environmental agency requirements, who have raised no objections to the scheme. The application fully aligned with national and local policies which supported sustainable rural development, as evidenced in the planning officer’s recommendation to approve. Mr Haskell referred to consultees who had raised no objections and supported the proposal. The applicants had worked with the planning officer and colleagues to ensure an acceptable scheme, these included landscaping and ecological enhancements. The slurry lagoon would have ensured Shortwood Farm’s continued compliance with regulatory and environmental standards, as well as benefitting future tenant or business at Shortwood Farm. This was an important piece of infrastructure which would have allowed the continuation of the dairy farm as well as compliance with environmental standards. The agent hoped members would support the proposal. 

Members questions and comments

• Queried the proposed materials.
• Members fully supported the proposal and felt that they should do all that they can to support local farms.

Having had the opportunity to discuss the merits of the application and an understanding of all this entailed; having considered the officer’s report and presentation; the written representatives; and what they had heard at the meeting, a motion to APPROVE the officer’s recommendation to GRANT planning permission as recommended, was proposed by Cllr David Taylor, and seconded by Cllr Sherry Jespersen.

Decision: To grant planning permission subject to conditions set out in the officer’s report.