Planning Committee 17 August, 2017 WD/D/17/001220 Application Number

Planning Committee 17 August, 2017 WD/D/17/001220

Application Number: WD/D/17/001220 Full

Registration Date: 11 May, 2017

Application Site: HARDSTANDING AND ROCK ARMOUR SOUTH OF, SEA HILL LANE, SEATOWN

Proposal: Place approx. 160 tonnes of rock to extend the existing rock armour structure, rebuilding sections of blockwork wall and repairs to concrete hardstanding area

Applicant: West Dorset District Council

Ward Members: Cllr S Christopher

Case Officer: Darren Rogers

1. Summary Recommendation 1.1 Approve

2. Description of development 2.1 It is proposed to place additional rock armour and associated repairs to the existing concrete apron at Seatown Foreshore/Beach. The beach and seafront at Seatown has been privately owned for many years [the Wraxall family] and this project is one of a number being progressed through a local regeneration partnership that includes the beach owner, the District Council, Chideock Parish Council, Dorset County Council and other private landowners.

2.2 The need for improvements to the seafront was identified in the Seatown Regeneration Feasibility Study report prepared and published in March 2016, by a small group of local consultants, on behalf of the Chideock Society/Parish Council. This following research and engagement work that was funded by the government’s Coastal Revival Fund. The report includes a range of projects and initiatives that are now being taken forward by the different partners, as funding becomes available.

2.3 The preparation of the study report involved a series of local workshops and consultation events with the local community and stakeholders and the District Council engineering team was an active participant in these events. The report included proposals for protecting the seafront and improving public access to the beach, but since the publication of the Report, a further assessment has been made of the options and in December 2016, the District Council engineers recommended a more modest and straightforward proposal, which does not involve the new turning head for the highway which was included in the original scheme. This revised scheme has been supported by local partners and community representatives and so now forms the basis of this planning application.

2.4 The Current Seafront and The New Proposals a. The seafront at Seatown does have the benefit of some rock armour protection, comprised of large blocks of Mendip Limestone, that were installed by West Dorset District Council some years ago, but it does not extend in front of the concrete apron.

b. A series of recent storms has caused additional damage to the concrete apron and this has focussed all parties on the importance of this area being repaired and protected for the future. Without such action there is a real danger that the concrete apron will be further undermined and damaged, which if extensive enough could cause the public highway and turning head to also be damaged or even to collapse.

c. Seatown is a small but important access point to the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site and receives a large number of visitors throughout the year and especially during summer months. Golden Cap Holiday Park accommodates visitors in static and touring pitches, making Seatown one of the key gateways to this part of the coastline. It is also the main point where those wanting to walk up to the top of Golden Cap start. Golden Cap is the highest point on the south coast, commands fantastic views over the rest of the Jurassic Coast to the East and West and is featured on many advertisements for the World Heritage Site. It is therefore more attractive and busier due to this fact than might otherwise be the case. Visitor numbers are increased further by the presence of the Anchor Inn which is most popular and the public car park, both of which are owned by Palmers Brewery.

d. However access to the beach itself is not the easiest and the current proposals for the additional rock armour include maintenance works to the hardstanding and ramp area to provide much improved access to the beach. This will be complemented by other proposed initiatives within the regeneration report, including new information and interpretation, environmental and signing improvements and subject to confirmation by Dorset CC, new passing places along Seahill Lane to ease the serious congestion problems along this length of highway, which is mainly single file. It is important therefore that this proposal for additional rock armour is seen and considered within this wider regeneration context.

e. In the spirit of the partnership project that is underway, it has been agreed that the rock armour stone will be sourced, funded and transported by the beach owner, with timing to be agreed, whilst the District Council, with its coastal engineering responsibilities will undertake its installation and the repair of the existing seawall, so that they are satisfied that this work and the work is completed to their standards and reflect the earlier rock armour protection, that was installed previously

3. Main planning issues · Need for the development · The visual impact on AONB/Heritage/World Heritage coast · Impact on the character and appearance of the area and nearby listed buildings. · Impact on residential amenity

4. Statutory Consultations

Parish/Town Council 4.1 Chideock Parish Council fully supports this application.

The Parish Council is concerned that the wall supporting the DCC maintained public highway is in urgent need of repair and this does not appear to be covered by the application. NB - The wall is not owned or controlled by WDDC and is the responsibility of DCC as the wall supports the highway. However, some of the concrete repairs we are carrying out to the adjacent hardstanding area will improve the toe support to the wall.

Highway Authority 4.2 Dorset County Council has no objections, subject to the following condition:

Construction traffic management plan to be submitted Before the development hereby approved is occupied or utilised a Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) must be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The CTMP must include:

o construction vehicle details (number, size, type and frequency of movement) o a programme of construction works and anticipated deliveries o timings of deliveries so as to avoid, where possible, peak traffic periods o contractors' arrangements (compound, storage, parking, turning, surfacing and drainage) o wheel cleaning facilities o vehicle cleaning facilities o a scheme of appropriate signing of vehicle route to the site o a route plan for all contractors and suppliers to be advised on

The development must be carried out strictly in accordance with the approved Construction Traffic Management Plan.

Reason: to minimise the likely impact of construction traffic on the surrounding highway network and prevent the possible deposit of loose material on the adjoining highway

5. Other consultations 5.1 World Heritage Coast Team - The Jurassic Coast Team have no objections to this application. Whilst the encroachment of rock armour onto the beach will have a minor negative impact on the features that underpin Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage Site and on its setting it is recognised that the scheme has significant benefits to the sea front amenity and sustainability that represent an acceptable offset.

It is noted that the scheme is in line with current SMP policies for the short term. In the medium and long term we do not expect to support the ongoing maintenance of hard coastal defences at Seatown and will instead advocate for adaptation to coastal change through managed realignment. We regard this latest investment in coastal defences to be an interim measure and urge West Dorset District Council and the community of Seatown to consider how it fits into the long term implications of increased sea level rise and erosion.

5.2 DCP Landscape Officer - The proposed rock armour will be an extension of existing coastal defences in the immediate area. The proposed works will also rebuild and repair existing works that are in poor condition. It is not anticipated that the proposed works will affect any of the key characteristics or have any detrimental impact upon the condition of the landscape character area. The Heritage Coast Team have been consulted regarding the visual impact of the scheme upon the Heritage Coast.

Recommendations - No objection and no landscape conditions required

5.3 Natural England - Having liaised with both my Jurassic Coast and Dorset AONB colleagues over this proposal, Natural England have no objection to its implementation.

It is Natural England’s general presumption that natural coastal processes are allowed to operate in as natural a manner as possible within designated sites, especially a site which is additionally designated internationally for its biodiversity, geology, geological exposures fossil record and active geomorphological processes as both a SAC and England’s only natural World Heritage Site.

However, it is clear that in this case the works are required to maintain, in the short term, important local infrastructure in a manner which conforms with the relevant policy for this unit in the Durlston Head to Rame Head SMP2 (Seatown, PUR 6a15) which identifies a short term policy to Hold the Line. SMP2 also makes it clear that while temporarily interrupting natural coastal processes, the medium to long term outlook is for a policy change to No Active Intervention and a return to a naturally functioning shoreline and subsequently any adverse impacts on the area’s designated features/processes can be seen as short term and entirely reversible. Within that context, it is worth reflecting on the SMP’s observation that (with my pluralisation to reflect the existing and new structure):

Due to the long term aim for this area it is not planned that the revetment[s] would be rebuilt should it [they] fail, which could be within the next 20 years. Therefore measures to address the future consequences of a No Active Intervention policy need to be developed in the immediate term. (SMP2, P146).

It would, therefore, appear imperative that while this short term defence is installed and does its job, we see a parallel effort to plan for the inevitable failure of the defences so that adaptation measures can quickly be brought into play to ensure Seatown is able to continue to function as an important access point to the Jurassic Coast.

Natural England are keen to be involved in any such discussions and planning as and when they are. 6. Other representations 6.1 2 representations have been received in support of the proposals - one on behalf of the Chideock Society, the aims of which include the conservation and enhancement the village environment and the protection of flora and fauna. The Society, with over 100 village and nearby members, wholeheartedly supports this application. It is clear that doing nothing to protect this area at Seatown is not an option, since with every storm yet more of the infrastructure at the seafront is exposed and has become badly damaged. The extension of the rock armour will protect the roadway to the beach for the foreseeable future; it will also improve and make safer the access to Seatown beach for all who use it: those able bodied and disabled, the young and not so young, local people and visitors alike.

This plan will assist in protecting Seatown for the future and enable many more people to visit this extremely popular section of the Jurassic Coast safely.

Currently to access the beach from the road, many people jump down from the hard-standing on to the pebbles, but once the new rock armour is in place this will become difficult and potentially dangerous leaving the ramp as the only safe route, but unfortunately an extensive stretch of the east side of this ramp is falling into the River Winniford because it has been undermined by deflected waves on storm days and abrasion from pebble wash. This eastern side of the ramp would need to be repaired and underpinned to allow safe access to the beach.

Another safety issue is that on the plans at the mid-point of the western side of the concrete hardstanding immediately below the turning circle, there is only mention of improvement to the concrete surface. At this junction point between the concrete hard-standing and wall supporting the road there has been a significant amount of scour from storms that has revealed there is no foundation to the road and turning circle wall - this section of scour is generally hidden by pebbles washed up on to the hard-standing covering the scour at the base of the wall. The wall supporting the road needs underpinning to prevent the road from collapse.

Copies of the letters of representation are available to view on the website - www.dorsetforyou.com.

7. Human Rights 7.1 Article 6 - Right to a fair trial. 7.2 Article 8 - Right to respect for private and family life and home. 7.3 The first protocol of Article 1 Protection of property

8. Relevant Planning History - None relevant

9. The West Dorset/Weymouth & Portland Local Plan (adopted 2015) INT1 - Sustainable Development ENV1 – Landscape, Seascape and sites of geological importance ENV4 - Heritage Assets ENV7 - Coastal erosion and land instability ENV12 – Design ENV16 – Amenity ENV10 - The Landscape and Townscape Setting COM7. Creating A Safe And Efficient Transport Network

10. Supplementary planning documents 10.1 WDDC Design and Sustainable Development Planning Guidelines

Policy A, H and I

10.2 West Dorset Landscape Character Assessment 2009 Site is within the Chideock Hills LCA

10.3 Dorset AONB Management Plan 2014-19

11. Other Relevant Planning Documents 11.1 Charmouth & Chideock Conservation Area Appraisal

The particular qualities of the whole Conservation Area are: • An attractive wider setting, within the Dorset AONB and adjacent to the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, with a landscape framework of high cliffs, an historic coastal settlement at Seatown and another inland at North Chideock,high inland hills, trees and hedges;

11.2 Seatown falls within the following Shoreline Management Plan Area. Durlston Head to Rame Head Shoreline Management Plan Area 6 a15

The Shoreline Management Plan (SMP2) for the area between Durlston Head to Rame Head was issued in June 2011 and provides a large-scale assessment of the risks associated with coastal evolution. It includes a policy framework to address these risks in a sustainable manner with respect to people and the developed, historic and natural environment.

For the Seatown Area, the SMP 2 states as follows: “This section of coast is characterised by dramatic, geologically important cliffs which are subject to large-scale complex land sliding. These events are difficult to predict with any certainty, making management of this shoreline difficult. Sediment interlinkages along this frontage are relatively weak due to the interruptions caused by headlands.

The nature of the erosion of these cliffs is integral to their designations and landscape value, however the area is also important for tourism, with resorts at Seatown, Charmouth, Lyme Regis, Seaton and Beer heavily dependent upon this. A key driver of policy is therefore to allow the continuation of natural coastline evolution whilst managing the risk of erosion and flooding to the key settlements.

The defence of Seatown will become increasingly difficult and expensive in the long term. Therefore the long term vision is for a more naturally functioning coast. This would, however, result in the potential loss of some assets. Therefore measures will need to be put into place to manage this transition from existing practice. In the long term the shoreline should reach a more sustainable position, such that a beach will be retained.

“Therefore the risk in these areas may be managed in the short to medium term through either maintenance of existing defences …. However, the long term defence of these areas will be determined by the extent and location of future cliff recession and so it may be necessary to consider measures to enable assets to be relocated away from the areas at risk. This would be based on continual monitoring”.

In summary therefore, the current policy is to ‘Hold the Line’ whilst in the medium to long term it would be ‘No Active Intervention’ and ‘Managed Realignment’, which could have significant implications on foreshore assets. However although there are guide timelines within the SMP, there is no fixed timescale to determine what Medium to Long Term may mean in practice and the whole coastline is monitored.

The proposals subject to this application accord with the policy for the ‘maintenance of existing defences’; with those defences being the concrete sea wall that needs to be repaired and supplemented with rock armour. The CRPG suggests that there will be coastal recession at this location in the future but the form of the proposed works can be considered appropriate at this time given their function to provide further protection to this damaged area of foreshore. There are no ground stability issues associated with these works.

However it is important to emphasise that this project is being undertaken largely due to the interests of tourism and the local economy and to allow the current situation to deteriorate further would be extremely damaging to this important economic interest, as well as the reputation of the World Heritage Site which is of global importance, with the national and local government having a duty to ensure its protection.

12. Other Material Planning Considerations 12.1 The Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site

In the local plan, the following definitions are included for the World Heritage site: “….An informal term used to include both the Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site, and the immediate towns and countryside which provide the education, accommodation and transport facilities that enable people to visit and understand the World Heritage Site”.

“World Heritage Site - An area considered to be of outstanding universal value that meets one or more of the four criteria set out by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). In Dorset, the World Heritage Site refers to the Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site, popularly known as the ‘Jurassic Coast', which was designated because it is considered to be an outstanding example representing major stages of the Earth's history, including the record of life, significant ongoing geological processes in the development of landforms, and significant geomorphic or physiographic features”.

As noted above, Seatown is a key location for the public to gain access to the World Heritage Site and therefore the maintenance of high quality access and facilities is considered essential. The proposals for further and enhanced information and interpretation that are part of the wider regeneration project will assist in the management and promotion of the site, which is a key priority of the designation.

Clearly being a World Heritage Site, the coastline has important designation and the overall coastline is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest and is part of the Special Area of Conservation designated under the EU Habitats Directive, which extends along much of the Dorset Coast.

13. Planning issues 13.1 Need for the development

Like the NPPF, the Local Plan is more focused on the consideration of new development that might be affected by coastal processes and climate change. It does however refer to and reflect the Shoreline Management Policy. It also states in Section 2.4.9 that…” Managing coastal erosion is about finding the right balance between the needs of local communities, the economy and the environment, to secure a sustainable and affordable approach to the threat while protecting natural interests”.

This is precisely the approach being adopted at Seatown, where the current proposals are modest in scale, the costs are being partly borne by the private landowner and the project does …..”strike the right balance between the needs of local communities, the economy and the environment”…

If the works are not undertaken, then the area will visually decline further to the detriment of both the local environment and community. The impression created of the area for visitors, will also deteriorate, making it a less attractive location, which in turn could adversely affect the businesses at the Golden Cap Holiday Park and Anchor Inn. As such, with the benefits for the community, the environment and the economy, it is submitted that the project is very much, ‘sustainable’.

The need for the works are therefore clearly required.

13.2 The visual impact on AONB/Heritage/World Heritage coast – As Members will see from those who have been consulted as regards this issue the works are not considered to adversely affect the AONB/Heritage Coast or World Heritage Coast and are considered necessary as part of the coastal defences given the storm damage earlier this year. The existing sea wall itself will not encroach further onto the beach, it will simply be repaired in its existing position. Whilst the rock armour will be physically placed upon the beach, this will be the same as the existing, adjacent rock armour and will only extend a relatively short length, to protect the front and side of the concrete apron.

13.3 Likewise the World Heritage Site Team has been kept appraised of the project, sent the plans and provided with a general updated of progress, since their earlier involvement when the regeneration plan was prepared in 2016.

13.4 Impact on the character and appearance of the Conservation Area and nearby listed buildings. In this regard your Conservation Officer has been consulted who raises no objections. The site affected as part of these proposals falls within the southern end of Seatown Conservation Area and is situated alongside the last key building on Sea Hill Lane, The Anchor Inn. Set back and elevated from the road, it enjoys expansive views of the World Heritage Coastline and is also a prominent building from many vantage points. This is a detached, 2-storey public house, sited next to a grade II listed, detached dwelling (Anchor Cottage). The C19 Anchor Inn has been identified as an important local building for both its architectural and group value. The beach itself, situated in a bay between rigged cliffs that stand high over the coast is a highly important feature, contributing to the Jurassic Coastline which is a nationally designated World Heritage Site.

13.5 With regards the concrete works (blockwork and in-situ), what is proposed is merely reinstating what was previously there. The hardstanding concrete surface is not being extended but just patched where it has become worn and the blockwork wall rebuilt where it has been damaged. The rebuilt block wall will be mostly hidden by the new rock armour which was not the case previously. As such there are no objections from your Conservation Officer who support the proposals. As such Section 66 (setting impact of listed buildings) and 72 (the preserve/enhance test for development proposals within Conservation Areas) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) 1990 Act are duly met.

13.6 Impact on residential amenity – There will inevitably be some short term construction activity with some impacts on the nearest dwellings at this end of Seatown but this is not considered so significantly harmful that would justify a refusal of planning permission for the works proposed.

13.7 Summary & Conclusions The applicants submitted statement concludes :

This project to place some additional rock armour on the beach at Seatown and repair the seawall is an integral part of the wider Seatown Regeneration Project, which has the support of a wide range of public and private sector organisations.

The work is being taken forward as a joint initiative between the landowner and West Dorset DC, with the full support of the local Chideock Parish Council and Society who commissioned the original study report.

It is also planned that this initiative will help lever in other public and private sector funding, to ensure that a number of the other projects in the study report are implemented.

Initial consultation has been undertaken with Natural England, the statutory nature conservation body which has a direct interest in this location. No objections in principle have been raised. Likewise with the World Heritage Site team.

The proposals has demonstrated that there is no conflict between the proposed scheme and National and Local Planning or other relevant policies; indeed in some respect, it is actively supported.

As a result of the above and in view of the importance of the project to the local community; the local environment; and the local economy, it is submitted that there is no impediment to planning consent being granted.

14. Summary 14.1 The proposals are considered satisfactory given the issues as set out above

15. Recommendation 15.1 Approval is recommended subject to i. The development to which this permission relates must be begun not later than the expiration of three years beginning with the date of this permission.

Reason: This condition is required to be imposed by Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended). ii. The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the approved plans:

Reason: For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning. iii. Construction traffic management plan to be submitted Before the development hereby approved is occupied or utilised a Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) must be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The CTMP must include:

The development must be carried out strictly in accordance with the approved Construction Traffic Management Plan.

Reason: to minimise the likely impact of construction traffic on the surrounding highway network and prevent the possible deposit of loose material on the adjoining highway