THE diggers will be moving in to start work on West Dorset District Council’s controversial new offices in Dorchester on Monday.

Redevelopment on the Charles Street site will finally begin, 30 years after it was first proposed, with the council office and library block forming the first phase of construction of the £60million scheme.

Work on that phase is due to be completed by contractor Cowlin in September next year and the retail element of the scheme is due to begin shortly after that.

Andrew Pollett, project director for developer Simons, said: “Retail developments across the country are still struggling to get off the ground, so to be able to get started on the redevelopment of Charles Street is a real boost for Dorchester.

“The first work happening on site is to prepare the ground for the library and office building, which will be completed before we start work on the second phase of the project next year.

“I’m delighted that we are now on the site, making the long-held ambition of redeveloping this area a reality.”

West Dorset District Council leader Robert Gould said: “I'm delighted to see the first phase of redevelopment of Charles Street get underway.

“This overall project promises to bring £60million of private investment into the heart of Dorchester with a new hotel, shops, affordable housing and over 600 new jobs, as well as allowing the district council to move to smaller, greener offices which will be much cheaper to run.”

Wessex Archaeology will shortly be carrying out a four-week long archaeological dig on the site, with any finds being made available to the public.

Mr Pollett said: “We know how important Dorchester’s archaeological heritage is to the people of the town.

“Although health and safety reasons prevent us from allowing public access to the site at this stage, we will look to display any interesting and relevant finds in a prominent place around the site.”

West Dorset District Council's decision to move to new £9.7million offices on the Charles Street site has met with heavy opposition.

Alistair Chisholm, from the Stop Council Offices Now group, said: “I think it’s a very sad day.

“Nobody knows their town better than the people who live in it and, indeed, many people who work in it and they have made their views clear, not necessarily against the development as a whole but particularly the office and library element of it.

“It is very clear that these people do not want this to happen.”

Businesses have also raised concerns over the closure of 226 parking spaces at Charles Street car park during construction, although West Dorset District Council claims measures have been put in place to compensate for the loss of parking provision.

Mr Chisholm said opponents to the scheme will be gathering at the site at 11am on Monday to make their feelings known.