AFFORDABLE one-bed flats for local workers have been agreed on a former tennis court site in the centre of Dorchester.

The community project has been dogged by objections, leading to the original proposals being scaled down.

The scheme became caught up in an objection from Historic England because the site is close to the town’s Roman walls; and was then caught up in nitrogen neutrality rules for the Poole Harbour where some new developments had to prove they will not add to the amount of nutrients entering river catchments.

But now, five years after planning was first requested, and years of work prior to that, the consent for the 15 flats for the Dorchester Area Community Land Trust has been granted.

The Trust, with the help of Dorchester Town Council, which owns the site of the two dis-used tennis courts, have been co-operating to create the small affordable homes for young, local, working people.

The three-storey low-energy flats will be built on the site of old tennis courts off West Walks, opposite the Borough Gardens, aimed at under 35s at below open market costs. Up to twenty flats were proposed when the scheme began.

Dorchester Town Council offered the land after building new tennis courts on the former bowling green, freeing up the older courts which were unpopular with players because they were often in the shade.

On the other side of the site is the Trinity Street car park.

The development will be limited in size because Historic England insists that the scheme be kept away from the Walks, under which lies the remains of the town's Roman walls.

Chair of the Land Trust, Tricia Mitchell, said the board is pleased to have finally received planning consent although there is still associated paperwork to be completed before building work can start – with a target date of spring 2026 in partnership with a division of the Aster Housing group.

“Five years seems like forever,” she said.