THE DORCHESTER Community Church has welcomed plans to relocate from its town centre site to Poundbury.

The church has spent several years discussing a move to a new home with its current premises at Acland Road part of the site for the planned Charles Street development.

It has now been revealed that the church has expressed an interest in relocating to the site of the new Damers First School at Prince Charles’s model development.

Plans are going on public display today to outline the proposals for the new school site including the school hall that could be used to combine the new church with a large community hall space.

Pastor of Dorchester Community Church Roger Frapwell said: “Dorchester Community Church welcomes the opportunity to be part of proposals for the new Damers First School at Poundbury.

“This will offer the church the ability to continue its service to the wider community of Dorchester and particularly by being part of a new community hall for the residents of Poundbury.

“We particularly look forward to working alongside the new school and with the Poundbury Residents’ Association in developing local community activities.”

The Duchy of Cornwall’s estate director for Poundbury Simon Conibear said the combined use of the hall would see ‘all parties benefit’.

He said: “We think it’s going to be great.

“It’s a very effective use of a building that can be used by the community outside school hours, which are quite limited, and by the church at weekends.

“By pooling resources they are obviously going to get a much larger facility from which all parties will benefit.”

The first of two public exhibitions for the new school at Poundbury is being held at Damers School from 3.30pm to 7pm this afternoon.

A second session will also be held in the unit next to Waitrose at Queen Mother Square in Poundbury from 10am to 5pm this Saturday.

Representatives of the county council will be present to discuss the scheme and answer any questions between 11am and 1pm.