BCP Council 'can afford' cost of private hospital decision

Exactly how much the authority has to pay Nuffield Health and Talbot Village Trust remains a mystery at this stage. 

The two were invited to draft a bill by the Planning Inspectorate after the government department ruled in favour of a new private hospital and innovation quarter near Talbot Heath, Poole. 

There had been concern from residents that BCP Council – whose finances are well known to be in a delicate situation – would not be able to cough up any rewards. 

Nuffield Hospital plans (Image: Townshends/Kendall Kingscott/Nuffield Health)

Graham Farrant, chief executive of BCP Council, said: “At a time when all local authorities are working under financial pressures which are causing councils to scale back some services, this award of costs against the council and for the appellant may be difficult for our residents to read. 

“As part of the planning rules every local authority operates under, member decisions made on behalf of communities can be overridden on appeal, and in certain circumstances costs can be awarded against councils.

• Read more on the planning inspector's decision and the reaction to it here

“The reality for every local authority is that incurring costs in relation to planning appeals is part of the democratic planning decision-making process.   

“The appellant has been invited to submit details of costs, with a view to reaching agreement as to the amount the council will have to pay.” 

Mr Farrant, who has been the chief executive since the council’s formation in 2019, defended his staff and councillors on their decisions and actions. 

He said BCP Council “acknowledges and respects” the judgement returned by the planning inspector, who concluded the application was compliant with the outgoing Poole Local Plan. 

“Officers prepared diligently for the non-determination appeal and our team at the inquiry strongly defended the reasons for refusal that came out of the council’s democratic process, and as resolved by the council’s planning committee,” he added. 

“I want to thank officers for their hard work and the integrity they’ve shown during this application’s journey through the planning system.  

“I also want to acknowledge the time and attention that members of the committee gave to consideration of this application.”  

Phil Broadhead and Karen Rampton (Image: Submit)

Talbot Woods ward councillor Karen Rampton said she is “absolutely devastated” at the planning inspector’s decision. 

“Residents didn’t want this, the planning committee agreed and rejected the application three times, and I’m so grateful for the incredible community effort that was made to see it off,” she said. 

“We now need to ensure that residents’ lives are not adversely affected by both the construction and operation of this development, and we’ll be holding their feet to the fire in this regard.” 

Ward colleague and leader of the opposition Phil Broadhead added the “whole situation has been shambolic and completely unacceptable”. 

He said: “The planning committee agreed with the vast majority of residents that this development was entirely inappropriate.  

“However, unbelievably, the council refused to accept the planning committee’s verdict, asked twice more for them to reconsider their decision and then finally forced this appeal by failing to determine the application in time.”