West Moors Church and care home plan sparks planning row

Plans for a church and care home on a farmland site remain undecided after a meeting sparked a row.

Developer Nick Aris submitted proposals for the development near protected heathland at West Moors in Dorset.

More than 500 people have raised objections over the size of the scheme and traffic concerns.

A member of the public was ejected from a meeting of Dorset Council planning committee which eventually decided to carry out a site visit.

The proposals for the church and care home on a two-hectare (five-acre) site off Blackfield Lane at West Moors were discussed at a two-hour meeting of the committee.

Agent for the developer, Jason Cunningham, said the site was ideally suited to the proposed uses with a "clear and considerable" need for more care spaces which would generate sixty new jobs.

Since it was first proposed, the care home has been reduced in size from 80 to 60-bed spaces and the northern side protected from development, and kept as an area for nature.

Several times during the meeting chair Toni Coombs had to plead with objectors to let council officers and those who supported the application have their say, without interrupting - finally asking for one man to be removed.

Opponents of the scheme highlighted its size and density, as well as increased traffic, on what are claimed to be unsuitable roads.

They also claimed that neither the care home or church were required in the area, although figures suggest that more than 2,700 care home beds are currently needed in the county.

Nicki Senior, from West Moors Town Council, said the development was unnecessary and would be a negative influence on the area with extra traffic, pollution and road safety risks.

Ms Dyer said: "There has been enough worries and concerns raised to make it essential to see the access and the road junction to weigh up the conflicting assessments."

The committee agreed to hold a private site visit before a final decision is made on 24 April.

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