A WEYMOUTH plant nursery has been refused permission for a new 30-space parking area by Dorset Council.

Island Nurseries in Church Street has now seen a number of applications to improve the site rejected by the council, including proposals to bridge the stream and create new entrances.

The latest plans attracted more than 150 letters in favour of the new parking proposals in an adjacent field – most saying it would make the site safer and better to use as well as supporting a popular local business with the potential to create more jobs.

Weymouth Town Council has raised concerns about all the recent planning applications for the site - citing traffic danger and potential flooding problems in the area, with the Environment Agency asking for further details about the parking plans.

Dorset Council say the new car park, without anything else, would result in visitors parking their cars and then having to access the main site via Church Street, which has inadequate footpaths, leading to dangerous situations with passing traffic.

Island Nurseries say their existing parking area would be retained as part of the proposals which includes child-friendly and disabled parking.

Said a Dorset Highways report into the plans for the new parking area: “the applicant has been unable to provide an internal layout detailing how pedestrians will be able to connect from the proposed car park to access Island Nurseries. If the access footbridges are not provided the Highway Authority will have no choice but to assume that ‘all’ those pedestrians, including any with mobility issues and / or parent with a buggy etc could either be faced with wasted trips or more likely the potential for them to walk out of the car park onto the adjoining carriageway of Church Street for an alternative route to Island Nurseries.

“There are no footways for approximately 150metres and very limited opportunity for pedestrian refuge (on grassed verges) as and when a motor vehicle passes on this B class road. The likely increased pedestrian movements at this access will need to negotiate oncoming vehicles… Therefore, on balance it is the opinion of the Highway Authority, the proposal would likely create highway danger/s and hazard/s contrary to the interests of highway safety.”

Earlier this month, a car crashed into a greenhouse at the site and destroyed around 3,000 plants.

No-one was hurt but the car was written off and damage was caused to the greenhouse, which a staff member said was their newest and "most precious" greenhouse at the centre.