PLANS have been revealed to demolish the established home of North Dorset District Council, which will be surplus to requirements from next year.

Aster Group are seeking permission to redevelop the Nordon site in Salisbury Road, Blandford, into a residential area with 40 new affordable dwellings.

The main Edwardian building currently on the site, which has been converted and extended over the last 30 years, is currently being vacated by the council ahead of Local Government Reorganisation in Dorset.

The outline application seeks approval for access and layout at this stage, with all other matters reserved for subsequent applications.

A planning statement says: "The proposal will seek to deliver new homes that will complement the existing character of the immediate locality, which comprises detached, semi-detached and terraced, predominantly two-storey dwellings.

"From an economic perspective, the proposal will make an efficient use of this highly accessible site for the development of 40 new homes which will make an important contribution to the District’s identified housing need, in particular, the council’s identified affordable housing needs, and will contribute to the vibrancy and vitality of Blandford town centre."

A small lodge and former stables near to Salisbury Road will be retained as a local office for the new Dorset council, which comes into force from April 2019.

These offices will be accessed off a separate junction from the main road.

A large car park is located in the middle of the development area, with a total of 140 spaces across the site. The proposals set out reducing the overall number of spaces to 80.

Aster Group were the preferred bidders for the site following a marketing processes carried out by North Dorset District Council in 2016.

The applicants considered retaining the Nordon building in the redevelopment scheme, but it was not considered viable due to the impact on the rest of the scheme.