A SCHEME to convert Weymouth's fire-ravaged Maiden Street Methodist Church into a restaurant and 15 homes came in for some heavy criticism before being agreed by planners.

Some councillors said the design looked like 'an office block', while others thought it looked like 'a prison block' before members of Weymouth and Portland planning and traffic committee finally agreed the project on an 8-2 vote.

Everyone loved the idea of recreating the building's distinctive rose window, which had been such a feature of the church before it was destroyed in 2002, but opinions then fragmented.

Coun Christine James said: "I think it looks really horrible down the sides and I don't think this enhances the conservation area. It is like a prison block and it looks really ugly."

Coun John Nash said: "It looks like an office block has been dumped up on top and I don't like it."

But councillors were told that wide use of copper would help create a landmark building with a new architectural statement for the town centre.

And Coun Geoff Petherick said: "I actually like the design proposed. At the end of the day, what else can you put there? I am not sure about the copper but we need to rely on our officers there."

Coun Anne Kenwood said: "To my mind the most important part of the building was always the front of it. It has been a very sad site for five years and it is a building important nationally because it was quite unusual for the time. If the front can be repaired that is the thing that matters."

Coun Margaret Leicester said: "I do have reservations about the copper but if English Heritage are happy with this then who are we to argue? I think this is a good way to bring an old building back into use."

Coun Peter Chapman said: "I am deeply reassured by English Heritage's backing.

"They are not a pushover."

The scheme to create a restaurant, 14 apartments and 15 homes by rebuilding the Chapel House has come from Project 20 Ltd, whose managing director Malcolm Curtis said: "It has been quite a difficult journey, but we have worked hard with planners, who have been very supportive."