THE county council has approved £2.24million in funding to repair the Beaminster Tunnel, which is due to reopen in May.

Preliminary work began on Monday to prepare the site ahead of the construction works, which will start in January.

Members of Dorset County Council's cabinet approved the funding for the repair scheme at a meeting on Wednesday (DEC 5).

The county council has opted for a soil stabilisation scheme to fix the tunnel which is predicted to cost at least £2.24 and is due to be completed on May 31.

Miles Butler said the projected cost of the plans is still liable to change.
He said: “£2.24million is the latest estimate of cost and discussions are ongoing, so this is not the final figure.

“We have to agree to commit now to undertake the substantial works after Christmas.”

Councillor Rebecca Knox, Dorset County Council ward member for Beaminster, spoke at the meeting to urge members to approve the plans.

She said: “Residents in Beaminster have been waiting for a long time and this is a major route, not just for people in Beaminster but for the whole of Dorset and surrounding counties.”

A public meeting in Beaminster was also held on Thursday night.

About 50 people attended and heard updates as well as greater details about the stablisation scheme.

See the Bridport and Lyme Regis News on Wednesday for the full story.