Poundbury has all but been ruled out as a site for a new household recycling centre, according to planning chiefs.

Land at St George's Road at its junction with Eddison Avenue has been earmarked as the preferred site for a new household waste recycling centre in the county town.

The proposal is included in the Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole Waste Local Plan.

Members of Dorchester Town Council have raised objections to the scheme and called for it to be built elsewhere - suggesting Poundbury as a suitable site.

However, Dorset County Council's head of planning Andrew Price reveals in a letter to the town council that Poundbury has been ruled out.

The letter will be considered by members of the town council's planning and environment committee on Monday. In it Mr Price says he understands the town council was keen to see Poundbury as an alternative site.

But he says that is not likely to happen.

He said: "We have had exhaustive discussions with the Duchy and as result have not been able to identify a suitable and available location from all the opportunities which we have debated with them."

Mr Price adds that a range of other alternative locations were considered within the town but the proposal for St George's Road was the only one considered suitable.

He said: "The proposed site is on rising ground above the flood plain, which gives the advantage of a split-level site operation with main functions enclosed within a building. The site will be of a suitable size, which the current one is not, and offer a vastly improved facility for the public.

"It is intended that it should be served direct from an extension of Lubbecke Way, offering relief from traffic accessing the present site to the residents of St George's Road."

He asks the town council to consider the proposals again and to suggest any alternative sites for the centre.