A FITNESS suite and restaurant proposed for Dorchester Town's stadium has been approved.

Club bosses submitted plans to West Dorset District Council for the new facilities in a bid to broaden the appeal of the club to the wider community.

Now officers at the district council have used delegated powers to approve the scheme.

A delegated report on the application by planning officer Darren Rogers said the new facilities were planned for either side of the main stand.

"The fitness suite would be on the northern side and the restaurant on the south.

"Both uses would be primarily at first floor with toilets and changing rooms at ground floor.

"Both buildings would incorporate glazed areas overlooking the football pitch to take advantage of the entertainment on match days and have been designed to ensure that sight lines in the main stand are not affected."

He said the fitness suite would have 66 lockers and the restaurant 124 covers.

"The club intends to provide additional community facilities for Dorchester as well as broadening the appeal of the football club to the wider community by providing the community with more choice of facilities."

Mr Rogers said that he had examined whether the proposals would damage the vitality of the town centre and concluded that it would not. However, he imposed a condition in the approval notice stopping the restaurant from being used for retail in the future.

He added: "The site is within the defined development boundary of Dorchester and is within a sustainable location where access to the proposed facilities is by a choice of transport other than car.

"Subject to safeguarding conditions the proposal is considered acceptable."