MORE bedrooms are being lined up for a controversial nursing home in Charlton Down.

West Dorset District Council has already granted planning permission for a 60-bedroom nursing home in the village near Dorchester, despite objections from people living nearby.

A block of 29 close care units next to the nursing home will not be affected by the proposed changes and builders are already working on the site off Chestnut Road.

Now LRH Homes, which owns the site has applied for permission to increase the number of bedrooms by 25 taking the total number of rooms to 85.

A statement supporting the application by agent Bell Cornwell said: "The application seeks planning permission for the erection of an 85-bedroom nursing home.

"The proposal occupies the same footprint as the consented 60-bedroom nursing home.

"The main difference between the two schemes is that the proposal seeks to utilise the roof void of the consented building to allow the provision of the additional 25 nursing bed spaces."

The extra bedroms will be lit by roof lights and dormer windows.

Villagers who objected to the original scheme raised concerns about the extra traffic the scheme would generate and the impact that the proposal would have on the conservation area and the listed Herrison House. But Bell Cornwell says in its statement that the proposed dormer windows would enhance the appearance of the scheme.

The agent said that an increase in traffic flow was one of the concerns raised by Charminster Parish Council during public consultation in January.

But the agent says that the traffic flow would be far less than if the site was used for industrial developments.

"The additional accommodation would be serviced by about 10 additional staff. It is estimated that the additional accommodation would give rise to about 59 additional car movements a day."

Comments on the latest proposal need to be submitted to west Dorset District Council by April 27.