GP Metals scrapyard in Portesham gets planning permission for new access road

West Dorset District Council's planning committee met to discuss the proposed plans to build a new access road to G.P. Metals and Spares on Bramdon Lane, Portesham.

The company's director, Adam Pile, claimed that the new access would make the road safer.

He said: "The site suffers from quite a lack of infrastructure. We have issues with parking and with lorries reversing out on to the road and holding up traffic.

"This will allow us to grow without impacting the landscape too much.

"We are permitted to keep it going as it is but we have asked to do this to make it as safe as possible."

The site rests in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and that is the main reason why there were at least 50 objections to the plans on Dorset Councils Partnership’s planning application website.

Guy Dickinson, from the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England, said: "It is in the AONB and great weight should be given to conserving the AONB.

"It makes no sense at all if this is approved. What's the point in having an AONB at all?"

Roger Taylor, a Portesham resident, said: "I have lived in this area for over 30 years and I fully support this application as the proposed new entrance will make the road safer.

"A small impact on the AONB is a small price price worth paying as plans show it could save lives."

Cllr Ian Gardner said: "What we are looking at is a relatively minor expansion to this blot on the landscape."

Cllr Margaret Lawrence said: "Some of us went on a site visit and it was bad enough for us going in with a car let alone them going in with one of their lorries

"The current entrance is right on the brow of a hill and you can't see if a car is going to shoot up there so it is very dangerous."

Cllr Robin Legg said that trying to strike the right balance between preserving the AONB and improving road safety was important.

The application was approved, subject to a number of conditions.