A PUBLIC inquiry could be called after planners said they could support infilling a nationally important nature site.

The Portland Stone scheme affecting an island gully designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest went before planners yesterday.

The company - run by planning committee member Coun John Nash - said it had had no choice with the infilling, was not prepared to remove it and intended to reapply for permission to infill all the gully, suggesting that the land involved was not an SSSI.

Their application including a limestone revetment and stabilising a parking area went before yesterday's borough committee.

Members were told that Natural England had advised in the past that "there is no doubt that the infilling that has taken place substantially affects a designated SSSI" of national importance which includes limestone habitat.

Restoration of the site was now "a key objective" said Natural England, adding that they should be told if planners might be considering granting Portland Stone's application so they would have an opportunity to ask the Government for an inquiry.

But Coun Les Ames said there was no record of Mr Nash being officially told that the gully was an SSSI while planning consultant Mike Kelly for Portland Stone said there was 'uncertainty' over the SSSI boundaries.

Councillors expressed serious concerns about the whole situation and Coun Christine James said that Portland Stone needed a safe place for storing commercial vehicles which had been vandalised in the past and added: "Yes, we need to conserve things, but this is getting ridiculous."

Weymouth and Portland planning manager Simon Williams warned members that if they backed Portland Stone their decision would have to be advertised as a departure from the Local Plan, Natural England would have to be told and it could result in the Government calling for an inquiry.

He advised members not to override officers' advice, but Coun Margaret Leicester said that the gully used to be a rubbish burning site.

Councillors said they were 'minded to approve' the scheme and agreed with chairman Coun Peter Farrell that "a fresh set of eyes" might be a good thing "because at the end of the day we are supposed to be supporting local business to get on".

A delighted Mr Nash said after the meeting: "Commonsense prevailed here because no way is this site an SSSI."