Dorchester ballet centre aims to relocate in controversial move

But the proposal has proved controversial – with letters both for and against the new site.

The dance centre, which has a 60-year history in the town, wants to build a single storey building in the sports centre car park with a pitched roof and mezzanine floor which would result in the loss of about 15 parking spaces.

The Sandringham site is leased to Dorchester Town Council by the Duchy of Cornwall and used by the town’s bowls club with a separate building nearby used as a shooting range for the town’s rifle and pistol club. The car park is used occasionally for motorcycle training with a boules pitch in the corner of the car park which the town council say could be moved to one of the other sites it manages.

The shooting club has expressed reservations about the new building proposal – worried that building works could disturb their shooting range and that any further building in the area might add to occasional flooding. It is also worried about the loss of parking and says it is important, for security reasons, that its members can park close to the club building.

Dorchester Bowls Club has also written to express concerns over the potential loss of car parking as have a number of neighbouring homeowners, some saying they are also worried about the potential for additional noise up until 10pm and extra parking in residential roads on busy days.

Letters have also been lodged in favour of the ballet and dance centre application saying that the site would be better than the existing building at Poundbury industrial estate which suffers from poor lighting in the evenings and a lack of parking.

Dorchester Town Council has declined to comment on the application because of its interest in the Sandringham site but ward councillor Molly Rennie has written in support of the proposals.

A decision is expected to be made by a Dorset Council planning officer.