Moving a well-used community centre in Weymouth would be a 'disaster', it is claimed.

Community campaigner Dave Burchill has hit back at plans to relocate the Park Centre in Chelmsford Street to the former St John's Church vicarage on Dorchester Road.

It comes after it was announced the owner of the Park Centre, St John's Church, would be selling the building.

A new home has been found for the groups that meet there in the form of the three-storey Old Vicarage, which used to house a language school, and is being purchased by church authorities.

This new site will offer an "accessible, flexible and welcoming space, which will make an excellent venue for a wide range of community activities" according to vicar, the Rev Tom Coopey.

But Dave Burchill, a member of the Waterside Weymouth Community Forum which runs events at the Park Centre, says not everyone is happy about the move.

Speaking as a resident rather than on behalf of the forum, Mr Burchill said of the vicarage : "Only the ground floor is accessible to the disabled. All the rooms are small making it impossible to run activities with more than 50 residents or large equipment.

"There are no cooking facilities or a disabled toilet, while the Park Centre has just spent nearly £20,000 updating its facilities.

"Accessibility will be worse for residents due to crossing Dorchester Road."

He added: "St John's decision to fund the purchase of the vicarage by selling the Park Centre is a disaster.

"Some of our larger groups are looking at relocating due to the proposed changes and uncertainty."

Mr Burchill said residents were given no opportunity of consultation, just told of the church's decision.

"The change is totally unnecessary – we have a well used centre which can be altered if needed, and is used by hundreds of residents every week," he added.

In response to concerns, Mr Coopey said: "Once we have the Old Vicarage we will be improving access and exploring the installation of a lift.

"The church building itself will be available to larger groups and space will be made available for the storage of large equipment. Two rooms in the Old Vicarage will also be knocked together to create a good mid-sized meeting room. The church, the Old Vicarage and the grounds are all to be made available and will together offer a wide range of spaces in which a wider variety and greater number of groups can meet."

He added: "St John's church has itself invested heavily in the Park Centre and paid the lion's share of an essential toilet renovation last year. The community forum made a voluntary donation to this project for which we were very grateful. Whilst the timing is unfortunate all work undertaken in the Park Centre has been essential for the day to day running of the centre."

Mr Coopey said accessibility will be vastly improved for those who drive as parking will be available. The new site will also be easier to access for those travelling by bus."

He added: "Once we have the building we will be petitioning for an additional pedestrian crossing to be created in order to make it easier for people to cross Dorchester Road."

Mr Coopey said he understands the news is a "disappointment to some people" – but suggests there are many who see this as a "positive move".

* The church is organising a public meeting at the Park Centre this Monday at 7pm to discuss the plan.