A large site on Dorchester’s London Road should be used for affordable housing – rather than retirement homes.

Town council planning committee members have voted to ask the district council to buy the plot and develop the site.

Retirement builders McCarthy & Stone is already in the process of asking for planning permission for 44 apartments on the former fuel depot site – but town councillors heard that the company have not yet bought the land.

Cllr Fiona Kent-Ledger said she did not believe there was a need for more retirement homes in the town centre at the moment.

“McCarthy & Stone seem to think that if they build more people will come.”

Calling for WDDC to step in and buy the site using a housing fund it has just set up to promote affordable housing Cllr Stella Jones said that McCarthy & Stone already had four other retirement site in the town.

Cllr Andy Canning said he had been disappointed by the company’s approach to the site.

“The design is very poor and doesn’t fit in with the environment around it. This one just seems like every other one they have built.”

Cllr Molly Rennie agreed. She said that what she saw at an exhibition was the company’s ‘standard design’.

“They told me they want to come to Dorchester because its right for their market. They told me they wouldn’t actually acquire the site until they get planning permission.”

She said the company had taken no account of the nearby riverside walk: “They have done themselves a dis-service…they just don’t seem to want to listen to what neighbours have to say.”

Cllr Stella Jones said the site would be ideal for affordable housing and moved that the town council ask the district council to consider buying it.