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14. BEAMINSTER

14.1 INTRODUCTION

14.1.1 Beaminster is a small rural market town, located wholly within the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It has a population of just over 3,000 and provides services and facilities to the surrounding rural area. It has a secondary school, a range of local shops and community facilities in its town centre, and some significant local businesses.

14.1.2 The historic routes and plot patterns radiate out from the small market square, and these, together with the local building materials, exert a strong influence over the character of the town.

14.2 A VISION FOR BEAMINSTER

14.2.1 In 2031 Beaminster will:

  • retain its attractive historic character and respect the beauty of the surrounding countryside whilst developing on a small scale, primarily to meet local needs for housing, employment and community facilities;
  • improve accessibility to facilities and continue its role as a local service centre to surrounding villages.

MAIN DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

14.2.2 Opportunities for development at Beaminster include:

  • Land to the north of Broadwindsor Roa, west of Beaminster, has the capacity to provide around 120 homes and approximately 0.5 ha employment land;
  • Land at Land End Farm off Tunnel Road, north of Beaminster, has the potential to provide 0.7 ha of employment land.

14.3 LAND TO THE NORTH OF BROADWINDSOR ROAD

14.3.1 Land to the north of Broadwindsor Road was previously allocated in the 2006 local plan for employment use, but development did not come forward due to viability issues. Views into the site from the Wessex Ridgeway which runs to the south means that substantial strategic landscaping is needed. The site has been enlarged to better relate to the best location for the strategic planting, and could deliver about 120 homes and approximately 0.5 ha employment land. Live-work units would be supported as part of this development. The north-eastern section is potentially more suited to employment uses to provide a buffer to the existing industrial units, although the wooded river channel already provides an element of screening. This wooded area also provides a valuable linear wildlife habitat that should be protected as part of any development on the site, by incorporating a suitably wide green buffer zone (likely to be at least 10 metres wide). There is also potential noise from the grain drying store to the south which will need to be taken into account in the layout and design of buildings.

14.3.2 There are a number of heritage assets (including Scheduled Monuments) close to, and / or visible from the site. For example, the site is opposite the Grade II listed Lower Barrowfield Farmhouse. Other Grade II listed buildings could be affected to varying degrees such as Horn Park Farmhouse, Horn Park and the entrances to Horn Hill Tunnel. There is also a Roman fort on Waddon Hill and more local names such as ‘Barrowfield’ and ‘Longbarrow Lane’ suggest that there are pre-historic monuments in the locality together with other non-designated assets. The setting of these heritage assets and the impact of the development upon their significance, must be taken into consideration and used to inform the distribution and scale of built form on the site.

BEAM 1. LAND TO THE NORTH OF BROADWINDSOR ROAD

i) Land to the north of Broadwindsor Road, as shown on the policies map, is allocated for housing, employment and public open space.
ii) The development will include structural woodland planting along the western and northern boundaries, and existing trees and hedgerows within and around the boundaries of the site, should be retained where possible. The development will also ensure the protection of the wildlife interest of the wooded river channel along the eastern boundary of the site.
iii) The development should create a positive frontage onto Broadwindsor Road, with parking and servicing requirements within the site.
iv) The development will provide a safe and attractive pedestrian route into the town centre, which should include a footway along the Broadwindsor Road.

14.4 LAND AT LANE END FARM

14.4.1 Land to the north of Beaminster at Lane End Farm is slightly separate from the town, and as such would not be suitable for new housing. However employment uses may be appropriate if carefully managed, and this area has the potential to deliver up to 0.7ha of employment land. There is no pavement along this section of Tunnel Road, although there is sufficient highway verge to provide a pedestrian link to the town.

14.4.2 The surrounding land does rise up to overlook the site and the northern part is more elevated and exposed. The farmhouse building forms a distinctive feature in the wider landscape. The site boundaries and bridleway track are defined by mature hedgerows with occasional hedgerow oak trees. There is a minor watercourse along the eastern boundary and the south-east part is within a high flood risk zone and will need to be excluded from any development. A suitably wide wildlife corridor should be retained next to the river.

14.3.3 If development is brought forward in phases, preference will be given to developing the southern portion of the site nearest the town first.

BEAM 2. LAND AT LANE END FARM

i) Land to the north of Beaminster off Tunnel Road at Lane End Farm, as shown on the policies map, is allocated for employment.
ii) The development should retain and enhance the existing hedgerows, hedge banks and streamside vegetation, and provide a riverside wildlife corridor.
iii) The development will need to secure the delivery of a footway link to the town.



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