PLANS to build a timber driving range next to the Strawberry Field in Lyme Regis have been rejected by the district council. The application by Lyme Regis golf club to build a 100ft wide range was turned down by council officers acting under delegated powers and never went before the council's development control west committee. In his decision notice, the district council's development services manager John Greenslade said the proposal comprised development in the open countryside and within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. He said the primary planing objective in such an area was the conservation of the natural beauty of the landscape and the size and prominence of the proposed range would be detrimental to the area's character. He said the proposal was also against a range of planning policies, including the district's local plan. Golf club secretary Stephen Wright said the club was still getting over the initial shock but was more than likely to appeal against the decision. He said: "We're very disappointed. The reasons given have never been mentioned to us before." A proposal to build a sports complex, with floodlights, in the neighbouring Strawberry Field, was also turned down by council officers earlier this year. Lyme Regis town council, which owns Strawberry Field, had supported the golf club's application and protestors, many of them from Uplyme, were concerned that a driving range would pave the way for further development in the Strawberry Field. Mr Wright said: "The Strawberry Field development was completely different to ours. We weren't looking for lighting or anything like that and the building was of an agricultural style. We couldn't really see the logic." He said the development would not have been visible from the road side and the nearest home-owner would have needed binoculars to see the driving range. Uplyme resident John Wood, who set up a website to fight development at the protected site, said the speed with which the decision was made indicated that the application was one-sided. He said: "It must have been obvious to the planners that the case against the proposal was so strong and one sided. "I on behalf of the people of the Harcombe Valley, who would daily have had this eyesore on their doorsteps, would like to thank all those living further afield for their concern in helping to protect our landscape." A district council spokesman said the council's constitution had a criteria for when planning applications should go to development control committees for decision and when they could be delegated to council officers for a decision. He said: "In this case the councillors were content for development services manager John Greenslade to use his authority to refuse the application. Councillors can call for an application to be decided at the committee if they consider it is necessary. Over the years the Government has encouraged councils to delegate decisions to officers and the majority of applications are now determined that way."