COUNCILLORS have hit out at a further missed opportunity to seek affordable housing contributions from the development of the former Stratton House council offices.

The criticism came as West Dorset District Council’s development control committee considered the two latest applications brought forward by Stratton House Development Ltd to redevelop parts of the authority’s former office site in Dorchester.

The applications were for four dwellings to the north of the site in an area that was previously part of the council office car park along Colliton Street and to convert the upper part of the main office building into 15 flats with two commercial units on the ground floor.

The committee was told that new guidance from government meant the council was now adopting a policy where it would not be requesting infrastructure or affordable housing contributions on developments of less than ten dwellings.

Planning officer David Hodges said that in relation to the four-house development to the north of the site, that would mean the council would no longer be seeking a contribution from the developer.

He said: “As the site is for four homes it is below the threshold that has now been set by government for us to secure infrastructure contributions.

“In light of that changed guidance officers can no longer justify the imposition of infrastructure contributions in relation to this development.”

Local members have repeatedly raised concerns that, by allowing the developers to bring forward a series of smaller applications for the Stratton House campus rather than one overall application for the site, the authority has missed out on potential contributions to affordable housing in the town.

Dorchester councillor Robin Potter said: “It just shows how regrettable it is that the council has allowed this development to be brought forward in such a piecemeal manner.

“I sincerely hope the council will not allow any such thing to happen again.”

Fellow local member Cllr Stella Jones said: “Once again it’s a matter of this thing being done piecemeal.

“If we had the whole site done all at once we could have done the archaeology all at once and we could have had the affordable housing contributions. It’s completely the wrong way of doing things.”

Cllr Robin Legg added: “It’s pretty damning the way in which this authority has dealt with the disposal of its own property.”

Despite the concerns raised by the councillors, both applications were approved by the committee.