by Trevor Bevins, Local Democracy Reporter.
WORK has now started on expansion plans for the Dorset History Centre in Dorchester.
County archivist Sam Johnston told a joint BCP-Dorset Council meeting that a £603,000 Lottery development funding, agreed in March, for the Dorchester-based history centre expansion had now allowed work to start on an 18-month development phase.
He said it would culminate in a second-stage submission in November 2027 when a £3.8million request to the Lottery would be made to substantially increase the size of the Bridport Road history centre.
The plans include creating enough room for 22,000 extra storage box space, a new front entrance and reception area for the main building.
He said two project staff, an archivist and a project engagement officer had been appointed with a Dorset Council Cabinet meeting on July 28 expected to take a decision on £540,000 of match funding to help meet the overall expected cost of £5.4million.
Mr Johnstone said that subject to that meeting being positive a design team would then be appointed – with two mentors from Lottery already in place to oversee the progress.
Mr Johnston said other match funding had already been identified with a current shortfall of £110,000, likely to be raised from trusts and foundations.
Highcliffe and Walkford councillor Andy Martin was elected the new chair of the county’s joint archives board at the meeting.
The BCP councillor will hold the post for two years.
Dorchester councillor Richard Biggs was elected vice chairman at the online meeting which only latest 30 minutes.
Cllr Biggs said he would like to see more visitors to the centre as a result of the expansion which, he said, told the history of Dorset.
“It’s a lot more than dusty records,” he said.
Cllr Martin said he hoped that during his chairmanship of the board he would be able to raise the profile of the centre in the east of the county.
