COUNCILLORS have backed plans to purchase Dorchester’s Community Church to make way for second phase of the county town’s Charles Street development.

Members of West Dorset District Council’s efficiency scrutiny committee held a special meeting to discuss the proposed purchase of the church, which will then relocate to the new Damers School site being built.

Purchasing the church would allow the Charles Street site to be developed, more than 40 years after redevelopment of the scheme was first proposed.

The current scheme being proposed by Simons includes retails units, apartments and 470 underground parking spaces.  

A report put before the committee stated that the church had a market value of £350, although because the site had special significance to the council its value to the authority was actually £700,000.

The council had already allocated up to £2million to fund preparation works for the Charles Street site including the purchase of the church.

One of the options being put before the authority was to purchase the site for £700,000 and provide £205,000 in financial assistance to the church for its relocation.

Another option included purchasing the church for £700,000 and securing a contribution of £205,000 from the Duchy of Cornwall towards the provision of the community facilities at the relocated church.

Councillors were told that this would involved the Duchy seeking to remove an existing planning obligation to provide a 300-seater community facility at Poundbury.

However, there was concern from some members of the committee who felt that providing the church would not make up for the loss of the community space.

Local member Susie Hosford said: “There is a very strong felling that actually the residents would like the Duchy to fulfil their obligations to provide a proper community space, not one with the restrictions that the church are likely to provide.”

Cllr Jacqui Sewell added: “Community venues are totally different from church venues, I believe a true community hall has to be open and not connected with any form of religion.”

The committee was told the council could opt not to purchase the church, however, that would have financial implications on the proposed development and Dorchester as a whole.

Members unanimously agreed to recommend purchasing the community church but decided to keep all options open for the executive committee, which will make the final decision.

The executive committee will meet to consider the matter on Tuesday next week.