Cheers greeted the news that Dorchester's Fairfield is not going to be developed – at least not in the near future.

The response came at a public meeting into future developments in the town centre attended by about 70 people at South Walks House on Wednesday evening.

The audience also heard of plans for a new, covered market, on Charles Street, costing £2million – although one resident pointed out that the town already has a covered market …. at Fairfield.

Development director from the district council, Martin Hamilton, said that new market would aim to be something different – lively and vibrant, possibly specialising in products, both food, crafts and arts which were “distinctly Dorset.”

“We will make sure the town has a market which reflects its status,” said Mr Hamilton, something which would give Dorchester the reputation of being “a great day out.”

It would most likely be held on a different day, possibly at the weekend, and could run even if the existing market and market operators did not want to move.

“There is no presumption that the Wednesday market would necessarily move...there is the potential for a different offer, on a different day of the week,” he said.

Mr Hamilton said by holding a market closer to the town it would attract visitors into the centre, helping shops in South Street, the High streets and Trinity Street.

But he warned that even with a new market it was still likely there would be a decline in the number of larger stores in Dorchester town centre – reflecting the national trend.

Despite years of trying to push Charles Street as a shopping area he admitted that no developers at all were now interested in the site for comparison shopping, although there might be scope for a hotel, or possibly another food store there.

The cheers came when he admitted that despite interest from developers the Fairfield would not be developed, either with shops or with a multi-storey car park for the foreseeable future. He said the deals being offered would mean the council bearing most of the financial risk which was not acceptable.

Mr Hamilton said that to be successful the Fairfield development would need to attract extra people to the town – not just displace shoppers from elsewhere in Dorchester, and that would require a big name, like John Lewis Home, which in the current economic climate was unlikely to happen.