A forest school near Martinstown has been rejected – with Dorset Council claiming it would be visually intrusive and harmful to the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The application was for a paddock site south west of Grove Hill Dairy, Grove Hill with access via a farm track.

The site is owned by the Duke family and the operation was expected to be run by family members.

The application paperwork said that a portable toilet would be brought onto the site when it is in operation and removed when not in use. Working hours were planned to be 9am to 4pm Monday to Saturday with parents dropping children off at the farm. There would have been a maximum of 30 children on the site at any time.

The proposed shelter for the school was to be open on two sides and just over 4m square and up to 2.75m tall at the highest point.

The parish council has raised no objection to the planning application.

Said a Dorset Council planning officer: “Despite consideration being given to slightly altered locations, the proposal would still with it bring development into an unspoiled part of the AONB. The site is unscreened, and it would introduce development, activity of up to 30 children and teachers, parked cars during the daytime and car travel to and from the site and a portaloo permanently as well as parents in cars. This level of development is not justified and given this amount of activity would have a visible impact on the area as well as reducing the existing tranquillity which this site affords. The proposal would be to the detriment of the character and appearance of the landscape of this part of the AONB.”