A Litton Cheney campsite has been told it can add an extra building on the site, despite council officers saying the development should not be allowed.

Both Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Dorset Council landscape officers said the Charity Farm site was "harmful" to the landscape.

But councillors disagreed and unanimously approved a planning application for 29 pitches, a shop/site office, manager's accommodation and a new shower and toilet block.

Most of the buildings, tracks and hard standings are already in place without any form of consent.

A Dorset Council Planning Committee heard on Tuesday that more than 60 letters of support had been received in favour of the plans, most from local people.

They told councillors of the extra trade the site had generated for the nearby White Horse pub, the Bride Valley Vineyard and other local businesses; about how well the shop and coffee bar was supported by residents and how some local people had used the lake for wild swimming.

Cllr Nick Ireland, who proposed accepting the application, said it was a fallacy to argue about the peace, tranquillity and unspoilt nature of the area when there was a cheese factory employing 500 people within sight, other larger campsites nearby and, until recently, there had also been a shooting range.

Ward councillor Mark Roberts also spoke in favour of the application.

He said the site, although largely unauthorised until now, was well-managed with excellent facilities and the application had been supported at a parish council meeting, which saw dozens of residents attending.

"I support the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty but tourism and farm diversification are vital to enable the countryside to flourish," said Cllr Roberts.

"This is not a blot on the landscape, this is a fantastic facility for local residents and visitors to Dorset," he said to applause from those attending the County Hall meeting.

Bridport councillor Dave Bolwell said the site was not that obviously prominent – explaining that he had driven passed it twice before going there for a site visit.

Parish councillor Bill Orchard said that, while the reasons to reject the application were understood, many were at a loss to balance that with Dorset Council's recent approval to extend another campsite in the area, which it was widely believed would cause far more harm than the Charity Farm application.

In their recommendation for rejecting the application, planning officers said the site use was not only harmful to the appearance of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, but was also not sustainable and that some area of the site could be at risk of flooding.

They said that, while there were some economic benefits of allowing the campsite, these were "modest" compared to the overall harm the use would cause to the special landscape area.

The planning consent, which will be subject to a legal agreement, will restrict the site to opening between April 1 and September 30, with no over-winter stays and no over-winter storage of caravans.

The home for the site manager will be restricted to only that use and must be vacated at the end of the season. An agreed planting and landscaping plan will have to be implemented.