A SITE at Monkey’s Jump roundabout looks set to become the front runner for a new park-and-ride facility to serve Dorchester.

After a search for a new park and ride site that began in 2007, the Monkey’s Jump site is being recommended as the preferred site ahead of a location to the south of the stadium roundabout by Dorchester Town Football Club.

A report on the assessment of potential sites for the park-and-ride facility will be considered by West Dorset District Council’s executive committee at its meeting on Tuesday, January 11.

The report states that the authority has been working with Dorset County Council to consider possible locations after identifying the need to provide around 950 park and ride spaces in its parking strategy for the county town in 2007.

A preliminary assessment was carried out that looked at 20 potential park and ride locations, which was eventually narrowed down to the two sites at Monkey’s Jump and the stadium roundabout.

A detailed report assessed the relative merits of the site, which estimated phase one costs for the Monkey’s Jump site would be around £2.4million compared to £4million for the stadium roundabout.

As well as being cheaper, the report for the executive committee states that the Monkey’s Jump site would also have more capacity. It says: “Monkey’s Jump site can accommodate the full requirement of 950 spaces plus a public toilet.

“It also has the advantage of the adjoining McDonald’s providing refreshments.

“The stadium roundabout site is more restricted by the surrounding boundaries and can only accommodate 882 spaces and there would not be room for a public toilet or facilities to provide refreshments.”

The only significant problem with the Monkey’s Jump site identified in the report is the landscape and archaeological impact.

It states: “There are significant landscape and archaeological issues to be addressed at the Monkey’s Jump site, while the Stadium Roundabout site would have less impact.

“This is a planning concern as both sites are in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.”

President of the Dorchester and District Chamber of Commerce Denise Addison welcomed the recommendation of Monkey’s Jump as the preferred site.

She said: “I think it would be good because it will serve people coming from the Bridport area in particular.

“I think it will also serve people coming from Weymouth as well and from the north.”

Mrs Addison added that people would use the park-and-ride facility once they got used to it.

She said: “People are used to the ability to park and shop and put things in the car.

“But if you look at places like Salisbury and Bath where they have got several park-and-rides people get used to using it and it becomes a way of life.

“It will be particularly useful for people who live in Poundbury, as they can leave their cars at home.”