YEAR-ROUND opening for the Osmington Mills Holidays site has not been decided – as expected at an area planning committee.

Councillors were told that the discussion could not be held ‘for technical reasons’ – although it is understood that not all of the parties involved had been notified about the meeting.

It will now be discussed at the July meeting of the area planning committee.

Similar reasons were given for the disappearance of a Bridport item from the agenda, over proposed changes to a listed property at 7 St Andrews Road, Bridport.

The Waterside Holiday Group has argued that its Osmington lodges, having high standards of insulation, should be allowed to be used throughout the year.

It has asked Dorset Council to scrap the agreement where the site, with the exception of one unit, has to close between January 15 and March 15, a condition which dates back to June 1987.

The site has 68 cedar lodges and a five-bedroom boutique hotel together with a country club, bar, restaurant and a swimming pool complex

The application for year-round use had attracted more than twenty letters of objection many saying that the respite for a few months from the additional traffic, light and noise is necessary for residents.

Some claimed the longer use will only encourage the company to apply for more lodges in the future, or to convert or upgrade existing units to permanent homes.

Said planning consultant for Waterside, Richard Burgess: “With the advent of year-round tourism local planning authorities increasingly recognise that such conditions are inappropriate and I would suggest that no permission granted today for holiday accommodation would have such a condition imposed.

“In addition, all modern enjoy high standards of thermal insulation and heating and so occupier comfort is no longer a consideration.”

Planning officers had not recommended any particular course of action and had put forward two positions for councillors to choose from – either for or against the proposal.