AN OUTDOOR seating area has been agreed for a North Dorset village pub. 

Dorset Council has approved the plans for The Cricketers at Shroton, owned by Punch Pubs & Co. 

The sheltered seating area, made of oak and other treated timber with a slate roof, will be just short of 30 square metres using an existing outdoor area already used by customers. 

The site is within the village conservation area. 

The parish council did not object to the proposal but said it was “troubled” by some aspects of it, claiming it could be disproportionate for the space; that a lower structure would be more in keeping and there might be concerns about light, depending on how it was lit. 

“However, the Parish Council remains committed to supporting local business enterprises providing they are sympathetic to the local environment and comply with policies that continue to preserve the unique character of this rural community,” said clerk to Iwerne Courtney and Stepleton Parish Council, Lizzi Kingsbury. 

Similar concerns about the structure had featured in letters to Dorset Council by some neighbours, including comments that the site description and some of the details were inaccurate and failed to acknowledge an adjacent right of way. 

A planning officer said that despite the comments the single storey structure was “considered modest in scale and not overly large and…would preserve the character and appearance of the conservation area and the special qualities of the AONB.” 

The officer’s report said that because the shelter was partially enclosed it was likely to reduce noise levels compared to the existing, fully open, area. Details of the proposed lighting will have to be agreed with Dorset Council before being installed, as part of the planning consent.