TOWN councillors have backed the second phase of Dorchester’s Charles Street development – but highlighted concerns over affordable housing and parking.

Dorchester Town Council’s Planning and Environment Committee unanimously voted to support the development at a meeting this evening, but with four conditions.

Councillors had the chance to have their say on the application, and quiz developers. Simons group director of development, Graeme Cosgrove, was present at the meeting alongside colleagues Keith Neill-Smith and Mark Hawthorne.

The application will ultimately be decided by West Dorset District Council.

While giving their backing to the scheme, councillors led by Cllr Andy Canning, outlined some conditions which included consulting with the county’s archaeologists as well as West Dorset District Council as to displaying and preserving historic finds, further negotiations on the provision of affordable housing as there are currently no firm plans to include any, ensuring investment [section 106 money] of roughly £200,000 would towards paving and improving the South Street area and requesting no development should go ahead until parking was addressed.

Parking was a key issue in discussions, as developers’ revealed the two-level car park was also planned to be used for parking for residents of the new apartments, with a suggested permit system.

This was met by a mixed response and councillors asked about parking during construction, but committee chairman Cllr Susie Hosford said: “Although this is a fundamentally important consideration it is not a planning condition.”

The developers’ new proposal of 464 car parking spaces is also a reduction of 20 spaces and is an alternative to initial proposals for off-site parking and less underneath the development.

The revised development no longer includes the proposed hotel and has more accommodation, with 67 apartments, some to be ‘set-back’ on top of the new Waitrose building.

Cllr Molly Rennie stressed the ‘vital’ importance of providing affordable housing, saying: “We desperately need flats for young people to live and work in the same town, we are already looking at problems with parking with traffic coming from Weymouth to Dorchester. I would hate [the flats] to become someone’s investment fund so they keep letting it out and letting it out.”

Members of the public also put their thoughts across, raising questions over parking, light obstruction, and if any archaeological finds – particularly the reported Roman bath remains – would be exhibited or incorporated into the development.

Revised plans went on public display in July to enable residents to find out more about the proposals and offer their feedback.

Some controversy has previously surrounded the development, with opposition councillors and Goulds boss Roger Gould, sharing concerns about the scheme.

At the meeting, developers said current estimates suggest the development could begin as soon as the end of next year, with a completion date of spring 2018.

The completed scheme, a mixture of retail and residential, will bring an estimated 600 jobs to Dorchester, with an additional 250 created during the construction phase.

The application will now proceed to West Dorset District Council for consideration.