A BERE Regis farm is asking for formal permission for a season campsite from the spring until the autumn each year.

The application to Dorset Council comes from Lower Woodbury Farm at Sugar Hill and is for a campsite which already exists on a temporary basis and has won glowing customer reviews.

It asks for a change of use from farm fields to seasonal camping from one week before Easter until October 31st each year.

The site, known as Wooders Campsite, currently employs the equivalent of one and a half people, and says the change will allow the creation of another two part-time jobs.

A statement from planning agents says in 2019 the farm realised it needed additional income if it was to remain viable and set up the campsite over the August bank holiday and operated into the autumn with portable toilets and wash and shower facilities set up immediately to the east of the farm buildings.

Said the agent: “The camping facility proved to be hugely successful for a number of reasons, including ease of access from the main road network; close proximity to shopping and service facilities in Bere Regis, easy commuting distance to various local attractions including Monkey World and the Tank Museum, and easy reach of the Heritage Coast. Many of the guests actually stayed on site for the entire duration of their holidays, as they were happy to enjoy the peaceful rural location. The site was advertised through pitchup.com and achieved a rating of 9.8/10. The site also achieved a rating of 5/5 on TripAdvisor.”

Up to 120 spaces are available although the site usually operates at about half that level.

Comments on the application, Dorset Council reference 6/2021/0160, are currently open with a decision expected by the first week in August. The full application can be viewed on the council’s website with the ability to also comment online.