Please Reply To: the Chairman

Please reply to: The Chairman 19 Hogshill Street Beaminster DT8 3AE E-mail [email protected] DRAFT December 2014 - BY 8TH JAN

West Dorset District Council Development Services Division South Walks House South Walks Road Dorchester DT1 1UZ

Dear Sirs,

WD/D/14/002964. Dwellings on Land at Woodlands, Bridport Road, Beaminster

I refer to the above-mentioned planning application and make the following objections to the application on behalf of the Beaminster Society.

Development outside the defined development boundary. The application site is outside the defined development boundary of Beaminster and is therefore contrary to Policy SA1 of the Local Plan.

We find the following reason for refusal of 1/D/13/000878 applies equally to this new application:- "The development of this verdant and spacious plot of land would allow the urban encroachment onto the countryside and the erosion of the clear boundary between the urban town and the natural landscape. This is considered to harm the landscape qualities of the AONB. The resultant plot size and lack of street frontage would harm the established character and appearance of the Conservation Area. As such the proposal is considered to be contrary to West Dorset Local Plan (2006) policies SA1, SA3, SA21 and DA3 and policy ENV11 of the draft West Dorset, Weymouth & Portland Local Plan (submission Plan 2013)".

(When policy makers look at the strategic housing land availability sites they should bear in mind this strong and principled reason for refusal).

Road Safety. The development would use a poor access point onto the A3066, which would have a detrimental effect on road safety, contrary to Policy AH14 of the adopted Local Plan.

Effects on the General Amenity and the Conservation Area The development would adversely affect the amenity of the houses along the Bridport Road by over-looking and loss of privacy. The design does not respect the townscape surrounding the site, which is Regency town houses, and as such the design of the contemporary dwelling would be out of character with the immediate surroundings and with the town as a whole.

Summary The Society sees no reason to change the previous refusal of permission for a dwelling on this site.

Yours faithfully Philip Golding Chairman