THE country's first solar powered railway station has moved a step closer.

Brewery Square Ltd, which hopes to breathe new life into the former Eldridge Pope brewery site, has spent four years negotiating with Network Rail on plans to revamp the existing Dorchester South station.

But bosses at the company are celebrating moving a step nearer to their dream after an agreement was reached on the transfer of land for the project.

And although there is significant work still to do on the project, Andrew Wadsworth, a director with Brewery Square Ltd, said it was a significant step forward.

He said: "We first came up with the idea of the new station over four years ago.

"We are delighted to have been able to reach this agreement which is a major step towards creating the first solar powered station in the country.

"We are now looking forward to the next stage of getting the design of the station agreed."

A spokesman for Network Rail said: "Final agreement is subject to various rail industry consent and approvals processes being completed, but this is still a significant step forward."

Brewery Square Ltd has already secured a £45,000 grant from the Department of Trade and Industry's Major Photo Voltaic Demonstration Programme towards the project.

Consultants at Solar Century, which has been working with Brewery Square, have already been involved in a number of high profile projects including a project at the Eden Centre's Education and Resource Centre. Modern solar panels do not need direct sunlight to work as electricity is generated from daylight.

The announcement that the station has moved a step closer comes as members of West Dorset District Council's development control committee today consider proposals for the rest of the site.

Officers are recommending that committee members delegate power to approve the scheme to director of planning Dr David Evans subject to a number of conditions.

But principal planning officer Andrew Martin has described the development as a once in a lifetime opportunity' for Dorchester.

Proposals include, flats, houses, an arts centre, shops, restaurants, cinema and a boutique hotel complete with health club.