A SCHEME to demolish buildings in a Bridport road to enable 41 cars to park would not improve the area, say town council planners.

Salisbury private parking company Napier has applied to knock down the empty commercial units next to the Café Royal in Tannery Road to re-lay the surface for a car park.

Coun Charles Wild said it was against planning policy to lose employment space and if a change of use was granted there would be no guarantee the area would ever be reversed.

He also said a car park would not distinguish the conservation area in any way and leave an ‘unsightly’ street scene.

Coun Dave Rickard said having retail units and residential above – as the town plan earmarks – would contribute to the vibrancy of the town in a way car parks would not.

But Cons Keith Day said the site was ‘absolutely disgusting’.

He said: “It is a tip. It looks obscene.”

At least as a car park it would provide an amenity for the people of the town, he said.

Coun Wild said he didn’t think a car park would be any less unsightly.

He said: “It does create an unsightly gap in the street scene and compromises policy in terms of provision of residential development.”

Coun Rickard said: “I can’t understand why West Dorset District Council sold it in the first place but it is not our job to second guess why it did that or why the people who bought it want to put in a car park.

“I think it is inappropriate use of the space.”

Coun Day said he was trying to be pragmatic. He said: “It might help employment if we get car parking, who knows?”

In its planning statement Napier Parking said despite the site being identified as part of the wider development the council sold it the site.

The statement continues: “And in the process accepted that it can be used independently of the redevelopment aim.

“The Bridport Town Centre health check of 2000/2011 and the West Dorset District Council local plan identifies problems arising from the shortages of conveniently located parking in the town centre and the resulting congestion and loss of trade to out of centre retail outlets where access and parking is usually easier.”

The majority of councillors voted to object to the car park.