AN AMBITIOUS art project in Dorchester has received a substantial funding boost.

Dorset County Museum is set to receive a £150,000 grant and £457,000 loan for it's new state-of-the-art project entitled 'Tomorrow’s Museum for Dorset'.

The decision to approve a grant and loan to support the development project had been deferred twice by the West Dorset District Council executive committee.

Councillors requested more information before committing to the funding. 

Dorset County Museum is an independent museum, owned and operated by the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society and which houses several significant geological, historical and archaeological collections.

The museum’s Thomas Hardy collection is the largest in the world and its importance is internationally recognised.

Since 2010, visitor numbers have doubled and therefore the society has embarked on a project to maximise the building's potential.

The ‘Tomorrow’s Museum for Dorset’ development aims to include new galleries, state-of-the-art storage facilities, a new learning centre and a new shop and café.

Cllr Alan Thacker said: “Now we have seen the business plan this is a very exciting project and it is really exciting for Dorchester.

“There are several things happening at the moment so Dorchester is certainly sustaining its future.

“I very much support this now.”

The project is estimated to cost £13.2million. It was awarded a £9.9million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund which is conditional on the society securing pledges for 90 per cent of the remaining £3.3million from other sources by May 2017.

The society is actively engaged in a major fundraising campaign.

Cllr Peter Barrowcliff raised his concerns over the payments from the museum if there was to be an unexpected delay in the development. 

He said: “The one question I have is about what kind of contingency plan might be in the report if the project is delayed – how much flexibility is in there?"

Cllr Tim Yarker shared the same concern. He added: “If we approve this we have to be mindful that there is a possibility that if there is slippage in the project and there isn’t financial contingency for slippage then this payment is unlikely to be made.

“We have to bear that in mind.”

But councillors were assured that a contingency plan would be built into the project.

Chairman of the committee, Cllr Tony Alford, suggested that councillors are kept up to date of any issues in the project.