ENGLISH Heritage has dealt a body blow to plans to redevelop Bridport’s St Michael’s Trading Estate.

The environment protector has described them as inappropriate and an unjustified threat to the historic site.

The comments have been welcomed by campaigners fighting to keep the trading estate for employment and to safeguard the increasingly popular tourist attraction of the vintage quarter.

English Heritage’s comments, which are among 480 submitted to West Dorset District planners, said the area played a part in defining the character and appearance of the town.

David Stuart, history areas advisor for English Heritage, said the application would substantially harm the conservation area.

He said: “It will, in its loss of historic fabric and contextually inappropriate new build, generate substantial harm to the significance of the site.

“The South West quadrant is a nationally significant area of historic textiles activity which underpins the raison d’etre of the town.”

He said there were notable and architecturally distinctive landmarks, like Priory Mills and Bridport Industry Works, and he could find no structural justification for knocking down the Stover or Lilliputs buildings or the corrugated open rope walk.

He said the differing ages of the buildings meant the total was greater than the sum of its parts.

Mr Stuart added: “Business currently on the site have generated interest and vitality that have helped find a contemporary purpose and future for the area, safeguarding the survival of the historic fabric.”

He did concede there were financial pressures with rents not necessarily being sufficient to maintain and improve the buildings.

While not necessarily dismissing the principle of redeveloping the western half of the site, current proposals did cause concern, he said.

He added the commercial uplift of the area prompts the need to review the principle of the development, which was accepted originally on the basis of commercial non-viability.

He concluded the degree of substantial harm to the historic significance of the site could not be justified.

No date has yet been set for West Dorset District Council planners to look at the application.

There will be a public meeting about alternative plans at the Bridport Town Hall on Thursday, March 15 at 7pm.

• What do you think? Write to Postbag at postbag@bridportnews.co.uk and Bridport News, 67 East Street, Bridport, DT6 3LB.