PROPOSALS for changes at a West Dorset farm site used as an alpaca and natural therapy business have been refused planning consent.

Dorset Council decided that a temporary workers’ home at Flowerdew Farm, Hazel Lane, Puncknowle should not be allowed and a new building would be out of keeping with the area of outstanding natural beauty and local planning policies.

The application, from Claire Ives, who bought the two acre site in November 2022, asked for retrospective consent for the timber cabin home and the conversion of a stable to a building containing a toilet, shower, an office and a meeting room. A new agricultural building for the site was also requested.

According to a council report more than forty people, some outside the area, had written to support the venture. Ms Ives says it is much more than this and includes positive reviews and praise from community organisations.

The application, submitted by a planning agent said: “Claire is a trained nature therapist and has years of voluntary experience working around animals within various roles such as Art and Animal therapy with the Royal London Society for the Blind and would like to establish a rural business to utilise animal therapy, tourism and crafting alongside the alpaca herd. The rural enterprise will involve the breeding and sale of alpaca along with the sale of their fleece and the selling of their manure...

The application added that Ms Ives also plans to have glamping tents on the site as well as arts and crafts and wellness workshops, each with no more than ten people. She already has a permit for year-round camping.

Puncknowle and Swyre Parish council objected to the planning request, telling Dorset Council: “The Parish Council is not confident that the alpaca enterprise is valid on such a small site. Whilst the PC does not doubt the applicant’s energy, commitment and investment to date, the evidence before the PC does not serve to demonstrate the need for an essential rural worker’s dwelling. The need for the barn is also not proven as there are buildings on site that could be used.” It also raised concerns about the safety of the entrance to the farm from the road.

A Dorset Council planning case officer agreed with the parish council and decided that the ten alpacas were subsidiary to the main purpose of the site as a wellbeing and activities centre with camping, diminishing the need for someone to live on the site, with the alpacas only contributing 2 per cent of the overall projected site income.

Said the report: “the proposal is considered to be unacceptable on the grounds that there is no justifiable essential agricultural need for a dwelling at the site.”