CHANGES to the design of a large retirement home on Dorchester’s London Road has failed to persuade town councillors to support it.

The town council had previously backed a call for the former Watson Petroleum site to be used for affordable housing – paid for by a £4million fund set up by the district council.

Planning committee members on Monday voted to maintain their objections to the McCarthy & Stone proposals for more than 40 retirement apartments on the site. The company already has four other retirement sites in the town.

Councillors said although the re-design of the front of the building was better they believed that the overall height and mass of the building was much the same as before and that the objection previously made should be maintained.

The committee also expressed concerns about a lack of ‘affordable’ flats on the site and what they see as a shortage of parking – especially only offering one space for people with disabilities.