TRAINS running on a miniature railway at a West Parley nursery have hit a red light.

But owner, Vic Plowman, has pledged to continue negotiations with district planning chiefs in a bid to put his rare collection of eight American miniature trains back on track.

Mr Plowman’s retrospective planning application for a station, storage shed and track at his Christchurch Road nursery was refused yesterday at a meeting of East Dorset District Council’s planning committee.

“The trains are very important. They give a bit of pleasure to a lot of people and encourage them to visit us more often,” said Mr Plowman. “We are in negotiations with the council, which we are hoping will resolve any issues. We already have planning permission for a much larger building.

“We are a working nursery. Other big garden centres have become more like shopping centres. We need something to attract people in the winter,” he added.

Cllr Derek Burt told colleagues on the planning committee that the area between Parley crossroads and Hurn had already been extensively developed with an airport, aviation museum, children’s attraction and garden centres.

Twenty-four letters of support for the application were received by the council, and one letter of objection.

West Parley Parish Council described the application as “inappropriate and unnecessary”.

Mike Hirsh, the council’s head of planning, told committee members that the station and storage shed would be harmful to the nursery’s green belt setting.

The majority of the planning committee voted in favour of Mr Hirsh’s recommendation to refuse the application.

Council leader Cllr Spencer Flower said he did not understand the link between a garden centre and a railway, and spoke in favour of protecting the green belt environment.

Cllr Toni Coombs said the nursery had a “chequered history” of changes being made at its site before planning permission had been sought.

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