Bridport Town Council is to offer community and commercial space at The Grove in Rax Lane.

The council has been given permission to change the use of the building to help various community groups, including the town museum.

Letting some of the space commercially will help make the project cover some, or all, of its costs.

The building, which was owned by the former district council, had previously been used for retail, including a furniture shop, and has also been used by the former Dorset Council as a base for social workers. It was last in use in 2016.

The three storey detached Grade II listed Georgian building will be used by the town council for a mix of commercial tenants with the community use varying from meeting space to storage for some of the Bridport Museum collection, as well as the offices for the museum and the family history centre. The town council says in its application that it aims to let the premises to long-term tenants, with at least one third being community groups. Some space is expected to be provided for education/training, public meetings/exhibitions, and for rehearsals.

The town council says it has received around 15 requests for space within the building, from a combination of organisations.  Several are from community groups citing a lack of space for this type of use in the town.

Around 20 people could eventually be working at the building.

No changes to the outside of the buildings is being proposed and the car park, with about 20 spaces, will remain in use.