A FARM business has successfully made the case that an area of West Dorset should not have special measures imposed as it is not at risk of exceeding EU nitrate water levels.

The land in question is from North Poorton to Bradpole and Uploders including Loscombe, South Poorton, Powerstock, West Milton, Nettlecombe, Uploders and Loders. All of the area was designated in 2013 as a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone.

The appeal against this decision was made by Crutchley Farms and a tribunal agreed that the Environment Agency’s designation of the area was incorrect. It held the Environment Agency’s assessment that ground water nitrate levels were in danger of exceeding EU limits by 2017 was wrong.

West Dorset NFU secretary Paul Bennett said: “The NFU has backed this legal case.

“Its success will be a relief to many farmers. They will no longer have to keep the paperwork to prove they are acting in accordance with the constraints imposed. They will have less controls imposed upon them and will not be required to have the amount of slurry storage facilities that they otherwise need. It is a very welcome decision.

“We are all perhaps at times too quick to assume organisations like the Environment Agency are correct in their assessment.

“This tribunal decision shows that it is not always the case.”

Among other points, the tribunal stated that the Environment Agency should have considered other water quality samples taken of the area by West Dorset and Weymouth Council and that there was an over reliance on samples from just one bore hole. Mr Bennett added: “We hope to take up with Oliver Letwin MP that the process of appeal in this case was too long and too expensive.

“It has taken 20 months and cost thousands of pounds.”