Chickerell's Willow Bed Hall could be expanded
A planning application's gone in to increase the space there
An extension is planned for the Willow Bed Hall at Chickerell together with new access for cars and pedestrians, including disabled ramps.
The town council is proposing a single storey addition on the western gable with a new ramped access to the south and east sides.
It says the changes will give more space, including extra storage, but will reduce the size of the kitchen - while the repositioning of the access road to the Putton Lane hall to the north is also planned.
The plans for the building extension show buff-coloured bricks for the wall, concrete tiles for the roof and powder-coated aluminium framed glazing.
Changes to the outside layout suggest that there will be a loss of eight car parking spaces, down from 27 to 19, but a gain in cycle spaces from 12 to 24.
The original intention had been to create an overflow car park but, on advice, the extra spaces were taken out of the initial designs and a new access retained wrapping around the north of the existing building.
That's said to remove the existing dangerous access around the front of the hall which presented a risk to children and other hall users between the building and the playing field.
A new, dedicated, cycle store is hoped to encourage hall users not to drive while a new fully accessible ramp to all openings in the building and the relocated disabled vehicular space will improve overall accessibility. New tree planting on the north boundary will provide additional screening from properties behind.
The town council say the extension has been designed to match the eastern wing of the hall with limited glazing on the north elevation to minimise the impact on nearby homes and the adjacent care home.
Changes to the internal layout reconfigures the existing town council offices to the east to provide a dedicated registrar room and council meeting room. The main hall and loos remain unchanged.
The new extension, to the west, will provide dedicated office spaces, a town clerk’s office and reception area; publicly accessible disabled toilet and new entrance seating area.
The previously large commercial kitchen has been reduced to be more in line with the size of events the hall usually caters for, and a new external store provides space for wider site maintenance equipment which is currently housed in a shipping container to the west of the existing building.
The existing waste storage will remain unchanged under the proposals with the extension adding almost 90 square metres.
Public comments can be made to Dorset Council on the proposal until April 19th.