Calls are being made for a re-think on future uses for Dorchester Prison.

Town councillors say that with delays in developing the site now might be the time to look again at its future uses.

City & Country has owned the site since 2013 and has permission for 185 homes, mainly through converting the cell blocks and other buildings, but has only ever carried out a limited amount of demolition.

The developers have struggled to bring the housing scheme to fruition and more than a year ago started looking for other companies to join them, or for someone else to take over the scheme.

Dorchester town councillors say that with an obvious pause in the project now might be to the time reconsider the site.

Cllr Les Fry asked the town council planning committee to consider asking to extend the prison site conditions to include retail to widen its possible uses.

Town planning committee chairman Cllr Robin Potter said he would like to see a re-evaluation of the whole site: "City and Country have been sitting on it for a long time," he said.

Cllr Fiona Kent-Ledger said that affordable housing was still worth pursuing although the developers claim it would not be viable. She said it was important that the site was part of the town and said she worried it could become a 'gated' community.

Cllr Molly Rennie also backed looking at the site again as part of the local plan review process.

Since May the prison has been used for Airsoft games and occasional ghost hunts – which the company is now seeking formal permission for under change of use rules.

Town councillors backed the change but say that the hours should be limited to avoid disturbing neighbours with controls over noise levels.

Cllr Susie Hosford said she was against the games and ghost hunts: "It's an inappropriate use in a residential area. The fact that the prison was noisy before is not a mitigating factor…we wouldn't support this if it was in the middle of Castle Park," she said.

Airsoft games organisers, Cracking Day Limited, have used the site occasional for its games and ghost hunts.

The application from City & Country says: "This will give members of the public a new, exciting way to enjoy the historic spaces that has been closed to the public for its entire history and will be out of bounds as a construction site for a number of years whilst the site is being redeveloped."

The company says it expects the continuing use of the site to be limited to weekend with occasional gaming on some evenings when Covid restrictions allow.

The occasional ghost hunts are expected to start around 8pm and could continue until the early hours.

Other suggested uses include occasional prison tours in return for a charitable donation.

Parking for all events will be around the gatehouse area and to the west of it – with the ability to accommodate around 60 cars.