PLANS to bring affordable housing to the centre of a west Dorset town have been rejected by town councillors.

Lyme Regis Town Council approached the Lyme Regis Community Land Trust (CLT) to find out if the group would be interested in pursuing an affordable housing development at the Woodmead car park.

But now councillors have rejected the idea, after 'grave concerns' were raised over the revenue the authority would lose by giving up parking spaces.

Speaking at last week's strategy and policy committee, Cllr Michaela Ellis declared an interest and did not vote on the matter.

Before leaving the council chamber, she said: "I have grave concerns.

"We always have had concerns over this with regard to the amount of loss of parking revenue that could be incurred if we decide to go ahead with this."

Cllr Ellis' views were shared by other members of the committee. Cllr Stan Williams suggested that losing parking would be a 'disaster' for local residents.

He said: "Residents need somewhere to park.

"I really think that we could not lose much more parking - that would be a disaster.

"We really need an area where people who live around there can keep their cars."

It is thought the council would lose around £30,000 in loss of income from car parking spaces if the development was to go ahead.

Cllr Cheryl Reynolds raised concerns about children playing next to the town's fire station and police station.

The council had previously teamed up with Raglan Housing Association to explore the idea of affordable housing on a section of the car park, but the developers pulled out from the project last year following planning concerns raised by West Dorset District Council.

Mayor Owen Lovell said the development could lead to the end of the Woodmead car park.

"Cllr Lovell said: "If we were to let that car parking go, I think we will only start a process where we will end up with no car park at all, probably."

But new members of the council, Cllr Brian Larcombe and Cllr Richard Doney thought the CLT should be given the opportunity to look at the idea.

Cllr Doney said: "I think we should encourage this if the Community Land Trust are prepared to give it a go, within reason.

"Different people have different ideas and it's worth giving it a go. I think they should be encouraged to have a try. Maybe in the end it is not possible, but if we don't ask we don't get."

Councillors voted to reject the proposals.