A decision notice has been issued on a controversial planning application for more than 700 homes, a 60-bed care home, school and employment space on the outskirts of Bridport.

Final outline planning permission for the Vearse Farm development has today (May 2) been approved by Dorset Council planning officers, subject to conditions.

The application has been controversial since it was first proposed and has led to protests, objections and a plea for the secretary of state to call in the application – which he rejected.

The outline consent, issued today by planning officers, also allows for a small local centre and associated playing fields, as well as other public open space and allotments. It also allows for a new road access from West Road and new pedestrian and cycle links.

All of the details of the development will have to be agreed at a later stage, when further consents are submitted.

The site lies on the edge of Bridport within Symondsbury parish.

Outline planning permission was first granted by the former West Dorset District Council in November 2017, subject to further conditions being met and the submission of further details.

These included arrangements for a Section 106 agreement; used to mitigate the impact of a development on the local community and infrastructure

Developers have been instructed to submit a phasing plan, to allow the development to proceed on a phased basis.

Matthew Piles, Dorset Council corporate director for economic growth and infrastructure, said:

“The final outline planning approval for Vearse Farm has been confirmed following the signing of a Section 106 agreement.

“This agreement provides significant infrastructure and community benefits, including affordable housing, a new primary school, financial contributions for the town’s leisure and medical centres, and improvement works at the Miles Cross junction.

“It was agreed between the council and applicant in strict accordance with our procedures, in the same way as any other planning application.

“The Vearse Farm site was designated for development in the West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland Local Plan in 2015, and this allocation was upheld by a planning inspector following a public inquiry into the Local Plan.”