‘DIVISIVE’ debates in a north Dorset village over the location of its new village hall are set to continue after councillors approved planning applications for both earmarked sites.

Bourton parish council and trustees of the existing facility have supported plans to build the new community centre on the western end of the village near its school and church.

But they were accused of ignoring the views of villagers who prefer a site in the centre of the village close to the current hall.

Plans for a new facility have been in the works for more than 15 years and when the neighbourhood plan for the village was approved in January 2018 it allocated two potential sites.

Planning applications for both – one at Sandways Farm and one at Chaffeymoor – have been put forward alongside recreation space and small housing developments.

The parish council and trustees of the village hall both support the Chaffeymoor application which they say will allow them to work in “synergy” with the school and church.

Concern was also raised about whether the developer had legal rights to use one of the two proposed access points to the site.

However, villagers have put together petitions outlining their support for the more central Sandways site.

Both proposals were considered by councillors at the meeting of Dorset Council’s northern area planning committee on Tuesday.

Village hall trustee Mike Chapman described the ongoing debate as “difficult and divisive” but said that, if built at Sandways, the village hall could become a “burden on the council in perpetuity”.

Parish council chairman Cllr Michael Withers said the earmarked plot on the edge of the village was a better option.

“This site has a simple, single point of access onto a relatively flat piece of land,” he said. “It has fantastic long views and more space for parking which is most important.

“This will be a long-term gift to the village and it sits comfortably with the nine houses proposed and neighbouring properties.”

But several residents of the village spoke out against the views of the parish council and said petitions and surveys had shown they supported the Sandways option.

Both applications were unanimously approved by the northern area planning committee of Dorset Council after they said they could find no reasons to refuse either.

However, both decisions were made subject to a Section 106 agreement outlining community benefits being agreed.

This means that whichever application is not supported by the parish council will not be given planning permission.

Speaking after the meeting, committee chairman Cllr Sherry Jespersen said it was important to hear the views of both sides but that it was up to the community to come to a final decision.

“It’s now up to the people of Bourton and we have not prevented them from being able to have that choice,” she said.

Cllr Withers said the parish council had already made its decision and that it would work to develop the Chaffeymoor site.