By Nicci Brown

Planning permission has been refused by Dorset Council for a housing development at Southbank Farm off Higher Blandford Road, Cann.

The outline application submitted in August last year by Mr A Read of Read Quality Building Limited represented by Pure Town Planning of Bournemouth proposed the demolition of existing agricultural buildings and dwellings and erection of 30 houses and flat, a 250 m sq convenience store and new vehicle accesses onto the highway.

The grounds for refusal include the site being outside any settlement boundary in an unsustainable location where residents would be almost wholly reliant on private transport.

The planning officer’s report concludes that the development would also adversely change the existing open, largely uninterrupted and rural views into and out of the site, and the setting of the adjoining Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire AONB. The size of the retail unit proposed was considered inappropriate for a small scale rural development, and no affordable housing was offered, there was no biodiversity plan to avoid harm to nature conservation including the Fontmell and Melbury Downs SAC.

In addition to the objections of consultees including the AONB, CPRE and Ramblers Association, and significant concerns from the Dorset Wildlife Trust and National Trust, there were a number of resident objections, although qualified support was given by Melbury & Cann parish council and Shaftesbury Town Council.