Verwood Town Council has formally objected to proposed changes to the Minerals and Waste Local Plan, arguing the Purple Haze sand and gravel site remains “unsound” and legally flawed.
The response was submitted as part of a ten-week public consultation following further hearings last year into hydrological concerns linked to the site. Councillors say there is still no scientific certainty that mineral extraction would avoid harm to nearby protected habitats, including Ebblake Bog, which holds multiple environmental designations.
The council argues that wording in the proposed modifications is too uncertain, pointing to repeated use of the word “may” when referring to limits on extraction. It says that without firm evidence showing no adverse impact, the plan fails legal tests under habitat protection regulations.
Concerns have also been raised about the reduction in estimated mineral yield at the site, which has dropped from 7.25 million tonnes to “up to 4.4 million tonnes”. Councillors say that creates doubt about whether the plan is deliverable.
Verwood Town Council is also calling for explicit wording to prevent vehicles linked to the site travelling through Verwood itself.
In its conclusion, the council maintains that the allocation is inappropriate for such a sensitive location and says the potential impact on local residents cannot be fully mitigated.