West Dorset District Council has insisted that pro-gress is being made towards phase two of Dorchester’s Charles Street development.

Work is currently under way on the first phase of the scheme, which includes the council’s new offices as well as the new Dorchester Library and Adult Learn-ing Centre, with the new building expected to be fully functioning by the end of the year.

The council’s reassurance on phase two comes as anti-Charles Street campaigners questioned the timing of the start of work on the second phase of the scheme, the retail element of the development and the likelihood of it actually going ahead at a full meeting of West Dorset District Council.

Council leader Robert Gould said discussions had been ongoing with developer Simons over a number of pre-conditions that had to be met before work on the second phase of the scheme commenced and he was confident that these would all be addressed in order to enable development to start in the middle of next year.

He added in a statement issued to the Echo prior to the meeting: “Plans are progressing for phase two of the Charles Street development which will see £60million of private investment in to the town.

“The district council is in talks with the developer Simons and it is hoped that phase two of the project will start mid 2013.

“A number of retailers have expressed a high level of interest in the project which is very positive.

“Phase two of the development will provide the town with over 20 new shops, a new larger Waitrose, a new underground public car park with 485 spaces, a hotel, affordable homes which is a major priority of the district council, new public toilets and 660 new private sector jobs.

“The first phase of the Charles Street development is quickly taking shape and plans to move district council staff in to the smaller, cheaper, greener offices by the end of this year are on track and on budget.”

John Grantham asked in the meeting that the council keep businesses in the town up to speed with the latest news and estimated time frames concerning the development. He asked Councillor Gould: “To what extent can retailers in Dorchester have access to the leader and chief executive’s latest thinking?

“A number of retailers really just need to know where they are at the moment.”

Coun Gould responded by saying that the authority’s business development officers had been in regular contact with the town’s traders. He said: “It is important all discussions are as open as possible.”