A Portland school building which has been vacant since 2019 is to be put to a new use – as a home for a young man in need of supported accommodation.

Work on converting the former Brackenbury Community Nursery at Three Yards Close, Fortuneswell is expected to get underway before the summer.

Little will be changed to the outside of the building, apart from new landscaping and fencing, although internally the building will be completely re-modelled to provide space for the young man and also for the staff who are needed around the clock to support him.

The existing classroom will be divided to create a bedroom, dining room, kitchen and living area while the office space and kitchen will be converted to bedrooms for carers with the existing nursery toilets altered to provide bathrooms and shower space.

The former play areas to the north and east of the building are proposed to become a secure garden area with part of the plot used to install a special swing.

Portland town council supported the Dorset Council planning application while a planning case officer said the benefits of the proposal is that it will bring a disused building back into productive use and provide a secure and safe home for a young person in care.