PLANS to have a narrow track in Milton Abbas designated as a restricted byway despite objections from the landowner are set to be approved.

An application was made in September 2009 to formally allow members of the public to use the lane from Catherine’s Well to Hilton Road with dozens of residents saying they had used it for decades.

Members of Dorset County Council’s regulatory committee are set to make a decision on the application on Thursday and are being recommended to approve the track’s designation as a restricted byway – allowing it to be used by the public but not vehicles.

Landowner Mr Burdett-Clark has objected to the application saying that it is not a public right of way.

Despite his opposition, a report to the committee says: “The available evidence shows, on balance, that the route should be recorded as a byway open to all traffic.

“However, as the application was submitted after January 20, 2005, and there is no evidence that exceptions apply an order should be made for a restricted byway over the route.”

Members of the committee will decide on the application at Thursday’s meeting.