A COMMUNITY room at an innovative housing scheme for retired artists which was designed in the mid-1980s by a key modern English architect is now being proposed for demolition.

This is at Cyril Wood Court on West Street in Bere Regis which was built as a memorial to Mr Wood who had been a regional director of the Arts Council and a BBC producer as well as a noted figure in the national arts world.

Supporters of the trust behind the project at the time included renowned violinist Yehudi Menuhin and Poole-born thriller writer John Le Carre.

The Cyril Wood trust provides 21 sheltered apartments for artists, artist-craftsmen, writers and musicians.

The proposal before Purbeck council is an application from the trust to demolish the uncompromisngly-modern flat-roofed community building which faces on to the road.

In its place, and nearer the road, would be a new community room with two flats above and four flats to its rear and the proposal includes the formation of a small guest room.

This proposed building would be two-storeys high and built of clay brick, timber boarding and feature deeply recessed glass under a plain clay tiled roof and would be set further forward than the existing room.

Three of the court's residents and another neighbour have objected to the new plan saying it will involve the loss of a much-used piano room and lounge - and claiming the replacement will be visually intrusive.

They also argue the new proposal will result in the loss of existing green open spaces which has a positive contribution to the character of the site and the wider locality.

Councillors are also being told that the original 1985 planning permission was subject to a legal agreement requiring that all the dwellings on the site were kept as housing for the elderly.

Part of the present proposal from the trust involves the sale on the open market of three flats within a listed building on the site fronting on to West Street in order to reduce the current mortgage loan liability.

Planners have told councillors that they consider the design is appropriate and acceptable and could be given an approval.