A PLANNING application for 44 retirement apartments in Dorchester had to be postponed after a number of objectors to the proposals were not informed about the planning meeting.

West Dorset District Council's planning committee was due to discuss the application at a meeting yesterday – but it had to be deferred.

It came to light that a number of residents who had objected to the plans via letter had not been informed of the meeting. It is believed that this was down to an administrative error.

Councillors agreed that it would not be fair to continue with the application at the meeting and so the decision was made to defer the application to the next planning committee meeting, which will be on Thursday, March 21.

More than 30 objections to the plans have been received from members of the public.

Retirement home builders McCarthy & Stone want to build 44 retirement apartments on the site of the former Watson Petroleum depot in London Road.

However, as reported in the Echo, the company said it would be unable to offer the standard 35 per cent of ‘affordable’ homes on the site.