THE DEVELOPERS behind plans to turn part of a trading estate into housing are urging an opposition group to "direct their energies" into working with them.

Enterprise St Michael's, a community-led group, set up to protect the heritage of the estate, has called a meeting after being left "extremely disappointed" by the decision of West Dorset District Council's planning committee to grant outline permission for the redevelopment of St Michael's Trading Estate in Bridport. Haywards and Co will demolish part of the estate to make way for 91 new homes, as well as carrying out a full refurbishment of the remaining industrial units and creating a riverside walk.

Enterprise St Michael's, claims its 'alternative plans' for the site were ignored by the developers.

Richard Payne-Withers, speaking on behalf of the group, said: "I have had numerous emails and calls and people have come up to me in the street to say how sorry they are about the decision.

"I don't care what Haywards say, it's going to rip the heart out of the town. A lot of businesses won't be able to keep running while on a building site."

Martin Ridley, spokesman for Hayward, said: "We have tried several times to encourage them to work alongside us.

"In January 2016, we wrote to them suggesting it was time to move away from the path of conflict we have followed and consider ways of working together to everyone's benefit.

"They also regularly insist they have an alternative plan but they don’t – only a few architect’s impressions with no substance whatsoever.

"We were also seeking greater recognition from them of the commercial and economic realities of the scheme and a little more flexibility in their approach but they have tended to respond by emphasising that they must stick to their principles."

He added: "Over the years they have made many public criticisms not only of our plans for regeneration but of our ability to manage the estate. These kind of statements are not only untrue and unfair but unhelpful.

"How much better it would be for the estate, for our tenants and for the Bridport community if, as we have suggested many times, they were to direct their energies to working with us to deliver what we believe will be a scheme that can only add to the unique identity and character of the town?"

Mr Payne-Withers said that Enterprise St Michael's would have had access to funding, not available to private companies.

He said: "Haywards have said that there's no way to repair the historic buildings.

"The difference of Enterprise St Michael's is that it's a non-profit organisation so we have access to funds that a private individual or company can't get hold of."

He added: "Haywards has done a lot of good for this town but it could have left this town with a real jewell in the crown.

"We have called a meeting to decide what we do next. There are a lot of issues remaining with the site, and we are not giving up."