New plans for church and care home on land in West Moors

A new application has been submitted for the development of land at Blackfield Farm in West Moors where developer and landowner Nick Aris hopes to build a church and care home with associated car parking and an area for biodiversity enhancement.

This follows two previously failed attempts for similar plans in 2019 and 2021.

The last application was refused in June last year after some 500 objections were submitted to Dorset Council’s online planning portal.

The field at the end of Blackfield Lane which has been earmarked for the development. Photo: Google Maps

Primary reasons for the development’s refusal included hinderance to local traffic flow and overdevelopment of the land in question. Following this, the newest proposals have been “reduced in scale” and introduce designated biodiversity land. The access point has also been upgraded to provide better access to the road.

However, despite the third attempt only being lodged in July, more than a dozen objections have already been submitted – including by West Moors Town Council whose members have been opposed to development on the land since the beginning.

• Read more: Church, care home and community hall plan unveiled for field on edge of village

In its reasons for objection, a town council spokesperson said: “Destruction of nature, not fitting with the area, floods risk, noise pollution, traffic increase near a school.”

Another objection by a Mrs Ross reads: “This development is being planned in a quiet residential area directly adjacent to an area of SSSI and on a flood plain. It is ridiculous to accept that a care home and church could be built on this piece of unsuitable land.

Illustrations for proposed church and care home in land off Blackfield Lane in West Moors. Picture: Chapman Lily Planning

“A care home will add additional pressure to an already overstretched doctor’s surgery.”

According to Chapman Lily Planning, the proposed church will have a footprint of 115sqm, while the care home will have a Gross Internal Area of 4150sqm spread over two floors.

Both proposals provide parking spaces, with 34 spaces for care home visitors and workers, and the church providing 25 car parking spaces. The care home will provide 80 bedrooms and includes an entrance lobby, offices and a hairdressers within the northern wing.

In its concluding planning statement, developers said: “The proposed church and care home would make efficient use of land, benefitting the community and contributing an important community asset and service. The design has been carefully conceived to avoid harm to neighbour amenity and ensure that a comfortable relationship subsists.”