PLANS for ten flats on the site of the former Chancery House day centre in Bridport have been refused.

Bridport town council had expressed concerns about the small size of the units and how accessible the building might be for people with disabilities – a view shared in some of the public comments about the application.

Other worries included overlooking of neighbouring properties, additional parking problems in the area and the lack of a lift.

The application for conversion had been made to Dorset Council by Daniel Taylor Almshouses. It asked to change the 1997 day centre into ten flats which would have involved extending into the roof space and adding dormer windows.

The centre was last used in March 2018 with unverified accounts suggesting that it had been running for four years at a loss. The building has been redundant and partially gutted ever since.

Comments against the application included the claim that four of the flats would have little natural light.

Two of the flats would only be slightly larger than the minimum space for a flat with a shower but being in the roof space would be less than 1.5metres tall in places. Several objectors said that the site would be better suited to 5-8 flats.

An officer report, which recommended refusal, said: "The proposal would lead to the loss of a community facility for which evidence has not been provided to support its loss.

"The housing would not be provided by a Registered Social Landlord and would not be considered to contribute to affordable provision.

"The units of accommodation would be below acceptable space standards leading to insufficient amenity for subsequent occupants. It is acknowledged that there is a lack of housing land supply, but these findings weigh against the benefits of the proposal."

David Partridge from the Almshouses group wrote to the council to say that what was being proposed was to try and make life more tolerable for a number of disadvantaged people: "We are seeking to provide homes for people sleeping on sofas, people whose relationships have broken up during the lockdown and perhaps people sleeping in tents in November.

"We are seeking to provide homes for people who are eligible for housing benefit. … fewer of the social homes will mean more people sleeping on sofas, in tents, in bedsits or in shop doorways," he said.