CALLS have gone out to look again at a new multi-storey parking option in Dorchester town centre.

Following the revelation at a council meeting this week that developers Simons may not be able to go ahead with the second phase of the Charles Street development, a councillor has suggested an alternative option for the site.

Members of West Dorset District Council's efficiency scrutiny committee were told by strategic director Stephen Hill that the scheme proposed by Simons may not be financially viable in the light of a report by English Heritage requiring further archaeological work on the site.

The current scheme being put forward by Simons includes 470 underground parking spaces.

At the meeting Cllr Patrick Cooke suggested that an alternative would be for the council to look again at the possibility of providing a decked car park at Wollaston Fields to provide parking adjacent to the site, alleviating the need for such extensive underground development.

He said: "The car parking could be provided at Wollaston Fields on a decked basis would alleviate a lot of the cost of digging down into the site.

"It could provide such a financial change to the viability of the main project.

"You can see the cost of digging out the central areas is vast."

Cllr Cooke said he had spoken to other councillors who were also 'frustrated' that the proposed decking at Wollaston Fields had first been put forward some years ago and had not been progressed with.

Cllr Mark Roberts also urged the authority to look at the possibilities for Wollaston Fields before going out to tender, should it need to seek another developer for the site.

He said: "If there is a possibility we may proceed without our current partner I think it would be a much more likely opportunity for other developers if the car parking was resolved before it was put out to tender."

Cllr Peter Shorland added: "It does protect the archaeological side to a great extent as opposed to digging the whole thing out."

Mr Hill said that should the Simons scheme not proceed the council could look again at some of the development options for the site, including the decking of the Wollaston Fields car park.

The comments came as the committee supported plans for the council to purchase the Dorchester Community Church, which will then relocate to the new Damers School site at Poundbury.

A final decision on the purchase of the church will be made by the council's executive committee on Tuesday next week.