BRIDPORT: The town lost its 12-year battle to save the magistrates court in 2010 – now there are plans to convert it into luxury retirement apartments.

Churchill Living, which has already developed retirement flats at Folly Mill Lodge, South Street, wants to convert the former magistrates court in Rax Lane to 26 privately owned apartments.

Before submitting an application the company is holding a public consultation event on Tuesday, November 11 in the town hall from 5pm to 8pm.

There will be a team from Churchill there to answer questions.

The magistrates courts have been empty since the last case was heard in 2008.

The proposal is for a two and a half storey building of one and two bedroom apartments with a communal lounge, a manager’s office and guest suite, with parking on site.

Spokesman for Churchill, Hilary Jackson, said: “We aim to produce a high quality design that relates sensitively to the adjacent buildings and also respect the natural environment.

“The outdoor space will be attractively landscaped with new areas of additional planting.

“If the development goes ahead, investment will be made by Churchill Retirement Living, through a section 106 legal agreement, towards local services and facilities.”

Andrew Burgess, planning director for Churchill Retirement said: “We have a contract to purchase the site from the Ministry of Justice, subject to planning permission.

“We consider there is a significant need for additional retirement housing in Bridport and one of the big benefits of this is it enables older people to downsize from larger houses and then it frees up those houses for families and also it allows people to release equity to help fund their retirement in later life.

“We feel it is a highly sustainable site, it is very well located to the town centre and people can walk to the shops so people won’t need to use cars.”

Vince O’Farrell, secretary of the Symene Land Trust which is currently building ten affordable homes near Bridport Medical Centre said the redevelopment sounded like an ‘opportunity lost’.

He said: “My first thought would be that I would prefer to see the land used for more affordable homes.

“Having been close to the Symene Land Trust I know that there has been quite a bit of interest in those houses.

“But there are no one bedroom houses – they are all two and three bedrooms and “I know there is a demand for one bedroom affordable houses in the area.

“This is an opportunity lost, but you do need some kind of organisation that is going to run with it.” Dominic Knorpel, who is involved with Bridport Community Land Trust and POPP, Dorset Parnership for Older People Programme said: “There is a need for specialised older people’s housing in the Bridport area but that has to be weighed up against the need for affordable housing for younger people to enable them to live and work in the area.

“It is a difficult one.”