A large summer slide near Wimborne could become a regular feature if plans submitted to Dorset Council are approved.
The operator of the inflatable slide, which has been set up each summer since 2022 on land off the A31 at Corfe Mullen, is seeking permission to run the attraction annually from mid-June to mid-September.
Currently operating under permitted development rights for up to 28 days, the business behind the slide, Neat Productions of Cornwall, hopes to extend the period each year to take advantage of school holidays.
The site, next to the Coventry Arms and the Vines Close farm shop, uses the natural slope of Meadow Farm and includes temporary scaffolding and matting. A planning statement submitted by operator Nigel Mcalwane says the slide will continue to run for pre-booked visitors only, with a limit on numbers to reduce traffic and parking pressures.
The proposal claims to support rural tourism, benefit local businesses, and preserve the landscape, with all equipment removed at the end of the season.
However, residents and local councils have raised objections. Concerns include traffic safety, noise, potential harm to wildlife, and visual intrusion into the Green Belt. Sturminster Marshall Parish Council has recommended limiting any permission to three years with no expansion allowed.
Comments on the application are open on Dorset Council’s website until the first week of August.
Dorset Council planning portal shows the application under reference P/FUL/2024/04398, with over 30 public objections already submitted.