CHANGES to Dorchester’s private Winterbourne Hospital have been approved to support a new MRI suite.

Dorset Council has agreed a single storey extension, alterations to the roof, and other external alterations to deal with the diagnostic equipment.

Town councillors had raised no objection to the changes at the hospital, in Herringston Road, although had asked for sound surveys to be carried out to make sure there would be no additional disturbance to neighbours.

Several town councillors said there had been complaints in the past from nearby about noise from air conditioning units and a mobile scanner unit, and there were concerns that new equipment might also be noisy.

An online town planning meeting heard that an initial noise survey was not completed because of the coronavirus restriction – but Cllr Les Fry said he saw no reason why with the easing of restrictions that should not now take place and asked for Dorset Council to insist on a survey being carried out.

One of the conditions of the consent is that the survey is carried out and any necessary mitigation measures agreed.