CONTROVERSIAL plans for a new Porsche dealership at a Ferndown industrial estate are set to be approved, despite opposition from the town council.

Inchcape submitted proposals last year for a new centre at Peartree Business Centre having outgrown its existing West Parley showroom.

However, residents and Ferndown Town Council have objected to the new development, raising concern about potential noise and ecological impacts.

The planning application was submitted by Inchcape, which runs car dealerships across the world, in response to the lack of scope for it to expand its existing New Road centre.

A statement submitted by CL Planning says that the firm has become “a victim of its own success” with its volume of trade having grown beyond capacity.

As a result, it has fallen foul of planning conditions which restrict car parking, with issues creating “friction”.

“The business has become a victim of its own success in that volume of trade has grown beyond the capacity of the current showroom and workshop facilities with no scope to expand on the existing site,” the statement says.

“Regrettably, this has led to friction and the company has been in breach of planning conditions restricting car parking.

“The company has been working with the council’s enforcement team to put short-term solutions in place whilst the permanent solution, to relocate to a new premise, is taken forward.”

If approved, its new dealership would provide more parking spaces and allow it to increase the size of its “cramped” workshop from five to 15 bays.

However, Ferndown Town Council has opposed the application, warning that increased noise would be “detrimental” to people living nearby and raising concerns about the loss of trees on the site.

It has also described the development as “cramped” and “incompatible” with the existing offices at the industrial estate.

The application will be considered by East Dorset District Council’s planning committee on Wednesday with planning officer James Brightman recommending that it grant permission.

His report to the committee says: “The proposal would provide a new larger site for the Porsche brand of vehicle sales whilst retaining this business in the district.

“The design of the proposed building is of high quality and its siting and scale is appropriate for the area and it would mark the southern entrance to the Ferndown Industrial Estate and provide a landmark building there.”