DEMOLITION of part of the former Thornlow School in Connaught Road, Weymouth may be a step closer.

Developers have asked Dorset Council for approval to a number of conditions of a previously agreed plan which includes the part demolition of the school and the construction of one detached 4-bedroom house, six 3-bed flats and three 2-bed flats.

A more recent application for a detached home and 12 self-contained flats was withdrawn in October after local objections.

The site does have agreed planning permission granted in May 2018 which includes the proposal for part-demolition of some buildings on the site and the details of some of the materials to be used for the new homes.

A demolition report submitted to Dorset Council this week says that all single storey elements of the building and the later two-storey section can be safely demolished but some sections will require remedial bracing during the construction phase.

Buildings on the site date from between 1866 and 1902 and are said to be generally in good condition.

The proposed residential conversion requires the demolition of all of the existing single storey elements of the site and the two-storey section at the rear of the school hall.

The renovation works will include the construction of an extension which will join the two original main buildings together and create a single block of flats. The development will include a glazed link to demarcate the connection between the two original buildings.

A Dorset Council environmental health officer has asked for a number of conditions to be agreed before work begins.

These include dealing with noise from the site, procedures if unexpected contamination is found, and asks that hours of demolition and noisy works be restricted to: 0700 – 1900 Monday to Friday. 0800 – 1300 Saturday with no noisy works on Sundays or bank holidays.

Also requested is that all waste from the site should be removed by an appropriate waste contractor, with consignment notes available on site for inspection, and that no dust will be tracked onto the road outside the site at any time.