RADICAL plans to slice some of Dorset’s parliamentary seats into two have been dropped.

The Boundary Commission has heeded cross-party objections and come up with a more modest plan to alter existing constituencies.

But the proposals may never be implemented, as it is widely believed that opposition at Westminster could kill the plan to reduce the number of MPs from 650 to 600.

It is thought Theresa May would have won an outright victory at this year’s general election if the proposed boundaries had been in force then.

The Boundary Commission’s earlier proposals for Dorset included abolishing the current seat of Christchurch and putting parts of the borough into a new seat called Bournemouth North and Christchurch.

They were opposed by all parties and by sitting MPs including Chris Chope of Christchurch and Conor Burns of Bournemouth West.

Bournemouth would have been split between that seat and a new Bournemouth South constituency, instead of the current Bournemouth East and Bournemouth West.

All the political parties, along with several sitting MPs, objected to the commission’s plans.

In their revised plan, the boundary commissioners write: “We acknowledge that there was little support for our initial proposals in Dorset, and in particular the strength of local opinion in Bournemouth and Christchurch.”

The sub-commissioners adopted the majority of a proposal put forward by the Liberal Democrats, although Labour and the Conservatives put forward similar ideas.

Under the revised scheme, there would still be seats for Bournemouth East, Bournemouth West and Christchurch.

The current Mid Dorset and North Poole seat would be renamed Mid Dorset, reflecting the fact that it would only contain two Poole council wards instead of four. It will contain parts of four different district council areas.

Plans to move Wareham into the South Dorset constituency have been dropped, although the West Dorset ward of Chickerell & Chesil would be moved into the seat.

The current North Dorset would give way to a Warminster and Shaftesbury constituency, crossing the Dorset-Wiltshire barrier.

In Hampshire, there was no change to the proposals for New Forest Way to take in the Boldre and Sway area.

BOUNDARY PROPOSALS IN FULL:

These are the proposed new constituencies and the council wards they would contain.

BOURNEMOUTH EAST: Boscombe East, Boscombe West, East Cliff and Springbourne, East Southbourne and Tuckton, Littledown and Iford, Moordown, Queen’s Park, Strouden Park, Throop and Muscliff, West Southbourne.

BOURNEMOUTH WEST: Central, Kinson North, Kinson South, Redhill and Northbourne, Talbot and Branksome Woods, Wallisdown and Winton West, Westbourne and West Cliff, Winton East, Alderney, Branksome East, Branksome West

CHRISTCHURCH: Burton and Winkton, Grange, Highcliffe, Jumpers, Mudeford and Friars Cliff, North Highcliffe and Walkford, Portfield, Purewell and Stanpit, St Catherine’s and Hurn, Town Centre, West Highcliffe, Ameysford, Ferndown Central, Hampreston & Longham, Parley, St Leonards, Verwood East, Verwood West, West Moors & Holt.

MID DORSET: Alderholt, Colehill, Colehill West, Corfe Mullen, Crane, Handley Vale, Stour, Wimborne Minster, Abbey, Blandford Central, Blandford Hilltop, Blandford Langton St Leonards, Blandford Old Town, Lower Tarrants, Riversdale & Portman, Broadstone, Merley & Bearwood, Bere Regis, Lytchett Matravers, Lytchett Minster and Upton East, Lytchett Minster and Upton West, St Martin, Wareham.

POOLE: Canford Cliffs, Canford Heath East, Canford Heath West, Creekmoor, Hamworthy East, Hamworthy West, Newtown, Oakdale, Parkstone, Penn Hill, Poole Town.

SOUTH DORSET: Castle, Creech Barrow, Langton, Lulworth and Winfrith, SwanageNorth, Swanage South, Wool, Broadmayne & Crossways, Chickerell & Chesil Bank, Littlemoor, Melcombe Regis, Preston, Radipole, Tophill East, Tophill West, Underhill, Upwey and Broadway, Westham East, Westham North, Westham West, Wey Valley, Weymouth East, Weymouth West, Wyke Regis.

WARMINSTER AND SHAFTESBURY: Bulbarrow, Gillingham Rural, Gillingham Town, Hill Forts, Motcombe & Bourton, Shaftesbury East, Shaftesbury West, Sturminster Newton, The Beacon, The Stours & Marnhull, Ethandune, Mere, Nadder and East Knoyle, Tisbury, Warminster Broadway, Warminster Copheap and Wylye, Warminster East, Warminster West, Warminster Without, Westbury East, Westbury North, Westbury West.

NEW FOREST WEST: Barton, Bashley, Becton, Boldre and Sway, Bransgore and Burley, Buckland, Downlands and Forest, Fernhill, Fordingbridge, Forest North West, Hordle, Lymington Town, Milford, Milton, Pennington, Ringwood East and Sopley, Ringwood North, Ringwood South.