Further developments, including a marquee restaurant and six ‘orchard rooms’ holiday units, at Parnham House will be considered by an area planning committee this week.
The estate is asking to use a marquee as a restaurant with structures behind for preparing and serving food; building two bridges; a 49-space car park; improvements to the driveway and six ‘Orchard rooms” for holiday use.
Dorset Council’s western and southern area planning committee will decide the applications on Thursday.
The arguments will centre around protecting the character of the historic house and grounds and creating business opportunities which could help future viability.
Planning officers say councillors could agree the applications, subject to conditions relating to noise and other issues, or reject it on the grounds that it would add to the amount of traffic and noise in an unsustainable location outside normal development boundaries.
The report to committee expresses concerns that the business expansion, if approved, should be legally tied to Parnham House and Estate to ensure it could not be sold off separately.
The 16th century house, a grade 1 listed property, suffered a catastrophic fire in 2017 resulting in the loss of its roof and most of its internal floors.
The marquee is to be within the existing walled garden, north of the main hours and to remain in place for up to five years.
A new car park, for patrons of the restaurant and the Orchard Room holiday lets, is proposed between the north entrance and the main house with new bridges across the river for pedestrian access.
Dorset Council’s senior landscape officer says the marquee-related proposals will have “an adverse visual impact” on the house setting and cannot be supported without further work to mitigate the impacts.
Beaminster town council has raised concerns about traffic and the visual effect of the marquee and ‘back of house’ structures, but says additional trees and other landscaping could minimise the effects.
The six holiday lets, proposed for the orchard, will each have a bedroom and bathroom and will be clad in timber. A glazed link will lead from the bedroom to a ‘bathroom pod’ at the rear each of which will have an outside bath.
Historic England has objected to the units and says it would like to see a comprehensive solution to restore and reuse Parnham House, a view shared by Dorset Council’s Landscape Officer who says: “I consider that when taken together with the other recent applications the quantum of development currently proposed within the Parnham Estate may have a significant adverse impact on the landscape and scenic beauty of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, may neither protect or enhance this valued landscape, and may do significant harm to the landscape and visual character and quality of the registered park and garden.”
Dorset Council’s area planning committee meets at 10am on Thursday at County Hall and should also be broadcast via the council’s You Tube channel.