Planning appeal decision
Downs Quarry, Kingston Road, Worth Matravers, Dorset, BH19 3JP
Planning appeal 3365869 at Downs Quarry, Kingston Road, Worth Matravers, Dorset, BH19 3JP (Dorset) was dismissed on 5 December 2025 by Inspector Sutton A, following a hearing. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the proposed extension in appeal A would comply with the mineral strategy for the area.
a northern extension of Downs Quarry for the extraction of building stone
- Authority
- Dorset
- Appeal type
- other · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Hearing
- Development
- minerals-waste · Mineral working
- Inspector
- Sutton A
- Postcode
- BH19 3JP
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- whether the proposed extension in appeal A would comply with the mineral strategy for the area
- the effect of the proposals on the landscape and scenic beauty in the Dorset National Landscape
- the effect of the proposals on the living conditions of occupants of neighbouring properties and users of nearby tourism facilities, having regard to amenity
What decided it
The failure to demonstrate a need for the specific bed of stone that could not be met within allocated sites or the designated Area of Search, combined with the significant harm to the landscape and scenic beauty of the Dorset National Landscape, meant exceptional circumstances for major development did not exist.
the moderate social, economic and environmental benefits of the proposals were significantly and demonstrably outweighed by the conflict with the mineral strategy and the significant harm to the landscape and scenic beauty of the National Landscape, so exceptional circumstances for major development were not made out
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy PK1Policy PK2Policy SS1Policy SS2Policy DM1Policy DM2Policy DM4Policy RS1Policy MS-5
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 190Paragraph 191
How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
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The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025
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The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.
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