This is the third application we have submitted to the West Dorset District Council. We have changed the plan each time to accomodate the advice given by the council which was mainly reducing the size of the building, lowering into the ground and additional screening.

The main reasons for applying for the driving range is to encourage our growing junior section which has increased over the last three years from about 30 to over 80 and which is still increasing. It is important that the juniors have practise facailities not only to improve their golf but also to give them a safe enviroment in which to practice. We note from the case officer that an argument put forward is that although this will provide a training facility for youngsters in particular it is somewhat diminished by its relative lack of accessibility by any means other than by car. This is not wholley true, firstly there is a local bus service from the town which stops near this facility, secondly the nearest facility of this nature is some 20 miles away which undoubtedly would need the use of a car and thirdly we provide lockers for members so they can leave their golf clubs at the club making it easier for local members to walk or cycle to the club.

We note that the local council is promoting the fact that there Is little in the way of sporting facilities in the area and are encouraging clubs and groups to provide more facilities in the future, we believe this would provide one of those facilities.

We also believe that we need to provide facilities not only for our members but also for the local community and tourism as a whole. We ere asked on many occiasons if we have a covered driving range so pepole can practice all year round especially in the Winter.

We also provide work for the local community and again with the use of a driving range this would mean we have to take on extra staff to cover the working of the range.

We still maintain that no lighting will be used as we only wish to open this facility during daylight hours and have included with all the plans natural skylights in the roof to provide this lighting.

Whilst we take the comments on board about the range being in an area of outstanding natural beauty, we have always listened to the planning officer and provided the screening required so as to reduce the visual impact on the surrounding area. We also believe that this building would not detract from the locals view of the Harcombe valley.

Whilst we appericate that within the comments from the case officer that this development should stand on its own merits, many of the objections came from people concerned about the much greater development of Strawberry fields and that if our planning was approved then there could be no objections to the Strawberry fields development. We believe that each project should stand on its own merit.

Our last point is that the council have already granted the planning permission for a driving range with internal lights situated at Bridport Golf Club which is on a world heritage site and in an area of outstanding natural beauty.