SHAFTESBURY Town Council is to take control of the town’s Mampitts community ‘hub’ development.

Dorset councillors unanimously decided on the town council bid for funding, rather than the rival Community Land Trust. Both organisations have planning permission for the site, and both had claimed they were better placed to develop and run the facility.

The Dorset Council decision will release £876,278 of housing developer contributions to the town council to build and get the centre running.

Cabinet members were told that it had been a fine balance to decide between the two rival applications, with the experience of the town council and its ability to be able to raise more funds, through increasing its share of the council tax, if necessary, giving its bid the edge.

Cabinet members were told that Shaftesbury Town Council would need to make up an estimated £24,000 shortfall, with the Land Trust needing to find £72,000.

The Town Council is proposing a community hub with a ground floor café and office space on the first floor with parking along Maple Road.

The long-awaited facility has led to a split in the town over who should run it with more than 700 people signing a petition in support of the Community Land Trust proposals although the town council has also claimed widespread support for its idea during a consultation exercise.

Said Dorset Council finance portfolio holder Cllr Simon Clifford: “what you really want is for them to work together … if you could get them to come together you would have a successful operation.”

Planning briefholder Cllr Shane Bartlett, who announced the decision, said previous attempts to do just that had turned out to be impossible.

A public statement made by town councillor Karen Tippins at the start of the Cabinet meeting claimed the Community Land Trust bid had several advantages, including savings on VAT and business rates, while the town council proposals could fall foul of restrictions governing the commercial use of the building.