A THRIVING Lyme Regis boatbuilding firm may be forced to quit the town - with the loss of some nine local jobs - because of a shortage of industrial units in the resort.

Champion yachtsman Christ Turner's booming business has outgrown its premises in Coombe Street - but his desperate search for somewhere larger nearby has so far proved fruitless.

Now he says he may have to look further afield - or even put the work out to another company under licence - unless more industry land is opened up.

A suitable site would be the park and ride field opposite Strawberry Field at the top of Charmouth Road, he says.

The area clearly has good road access and, naturally screened with trees, would provide an ideal setting for new industry units, he reckons.

Mr Turner had been negotiating to relocate his Specialised Marine Company to the Millwey Industrial site at Axminster - close enough for the existing workforce to retain their jobs.

But his application has now been turned down because planners ruled the business was a heavy industrial one and not suitable for the light industrial units.

Said Mr Turner: "They have put us in the same class as ship builders which is ridiculous. We produce racing sailing dinghies which only weigh 42kg and are 14ft long. We use toxin free resins specially made for us and although we are in the middle of a residential area we have not had a complaint in the five years we have been here.

"We need the extra space because we can only build one boat at a time here and can't cope with the volume of orders. We currently have 15 boats on order and don't have the space to build them in time for next year's major championships in June.

"Personally I'm fed up and its got to stage where I am thinking of subbing the boats out to be built elsewhere. The boat building side has got to go somewhere - it can't stay here because of the space and access."

Mr Turner stressed that his two retails outlets in the town -named Riptide - would be staying put.

The news of possible local job losses comes amid growing concerns over low wages and the lack of affordable housing in the resort.

Last week town councillor Ayvin Rogers complained that the resort's young people were being "sacrificed to the god of tourism."

And he said the town should not give up all of its commercial land for residential use but should encourage workshops and small units to provide employment.

"The number of second homes in the town is a sin," he added.

Mr Turner said almost all the houses around his workshops were now second homes - and this week a local estate agent confirmed that there was a "very strong demand" for low cost homes in Lyme, Charmouth and Uplyme. The problem had been exacerbated in recent months due to "significant" price rises, he added.