PLANS to place a quarry on Canford Magna Golf Club were blocked by Poole council yesterday over fears of “creeping industrialisation” and the potential harm to a nearby school.

The proposals also sought to develop part of the 95-hectare site, which was Dorset’s largest golf course before its closure earlier this year, into a “suitable alternative natural green space” for community use.

But the scheme submitted by Canford Renewable Energy faced opposition from neighbouring Canford School, which claimed noise and dust could cause harm to its staff and students.

And ward councillor David Brown described the project's potential impact as “significant”.

“This is a green-belt, semi-rural, agricultural, residential area and this represents more creeping industrialisation in a historic setting. In my opinion that is damaging,” he said.

Concerns were also raised about the length of time the mineral extraction process would take.

But Cllr Marion Le Poidevin argued that it would be a “definite bonus” to open up a large green space to the public.

“It has previously only been open to those who wanted to play golf and could afford to do so,” said Cllr Le Poidevin.

“We also all say we want more housing for our residents, and to provide more housing and more employment structures we need these minerals.

“The question is whether this is the right place to get them from.

“I am verging on the side of thinking that this is probably the least worst option that we could be looking at.”

And Cllr Ron Parker said: “I think our main concern is the impact of the work on the school and providing the school can be sufficiently protected from the mineral work, I would be perfectly happy to support this, bearing in mind the enormous benefit the community is going to get from the SANG (suitable alternative natural green space).

“We are being told we need 700 houses built a year and currently we are only building 200. I think quite clearly we have got to be realistic and protect the school, but make it possible to actually achieve our housing target.”

But planning board chairman Cllr Peter Pawlowski said he was “not convinced” by the safeguards suggested for the industrial noise.

“The evidence in the report has not convinced me and I am not convinced on dust suppression either,” he said.

Following the meeting, Canford Renewable Energy released a statement, which said: “We are obviously disappointed that this application has been refused.

“The long term aim of this project was to open up 89 hectares of beautiful parkland as a public open space and, in the short term, to provide local construction and engineering projects with much needed sands and gravels.

“We were however pleased to hear the members support these aims and we will give careful consideration to the concerns that were raised.”