RESIDENTS AGAINST GRAVEL EXTRACTION IN THE PIDDLE 

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In 1996, there was a public enquiry into the proposal to extract gravel from Philliols Farm and Hyde Farm which borders the attractive River Piddle.  Among the objectors, apart from local residents, were the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, Friends of the Earth (South Dorset), English Nature and Dorset Wildlife Trust.

The Inspector, having listened to objectors’ representations decided to delete Philliols Farm from the Dorset Minerals and Waste Local Plan. The Dorset County Council accepted the deletion.

Now, ten years after the original Public Enquiry, another application to extract gravel from Philliols Farm is being prepared. 

The previous plan contained an error which over-estimated the likely gravel yield from Philliols Farm.  The applicants, ten years ago, over-estimated the likely yield and nothing has changed.

 OBJECTIONS IN 1996

 NATURE CONSERVATION ISSUES

 i. Excavations could result in the drainage of the Hyde Bog, damaging its ecology and also lead to pollution of the Bere Stream and River Piddle, harming important salmonoid spawning grounds in both.

 ii. Flora and Fauna including rare and sensitive species would be disturbed.

 iii. An ephemeral pond at Philliols Farm would be destroyed.

 iv. The Development Control criteria would not sufficiently protect nature conservation interests within the area nor several SNCIs and SSSIs nearby.  The wildlife of river corridors should be better safeguarded.

 ACCESS AND TRAFFIC ISSUES

 i. The use of Hyde Lane or other routes

 ii. The proposed route across Philliols Heath would adversely affect the amenity of forest users and/or wildlife.

 iii. Bere Road unsuitable for more traffic.

GENERAL OBJECTIONS

 i. No overriding need for gravel is demonstrated to justify the disruption which would be caused by its extraction.

 ii. Loss of agricultural land would make farming non viable.

 The Inspector’s comments :

In deleting the Philliols site from the Dorset Minerals and Waste Local Plan, the Inspector stated “It is inevitable in my opinion that gravel working in ‘Philliols’ would, for a considerable time, still be an obvious visual and audible intrusion into this peaceful, rustic location which the Area Description itself described as being of intimate landscape character.  In my judgement, mineral development would therefore have a significant detrimental impact on the area as a whole and on sensitive properties close to the Philliols boundary as well as on parts of Hyde Heath to the north where the haul road would be located”.