The Victorian Society has objected to what it describes as "insensitive plans" to redevelop the historic Maltings building in Dorchester into 46 flats. 

The grade II listed Maltings is part of the Victorian Eldridge Pope Brewery, which survived demolition in 2020. 

The Brewery Square Development Company Ltd and Halo Developments have submitted a planning application to Dorset Council to convert the building to create 46 new flats over five floors, car parking and community r commercial use in the basement.

But the Victorian Society has called for a "less harmful" redevelopment of the site, taking into account the significant part it played in Dorchester's brewing history and its association with author Thomas Hardy.

The Maltings was built by the Eldridge and Pope families in the early 19th century, designed by the important local architect G.R. Crickmay.

Crickmay had mentored novelist and poet Thomas Hardy during the author's earlier career as an architect.

Hardy once described Dorchester beer as "the most beautiful colour that the eye of an artist in beer could desire; full in body, yet brisk as a volcano; piquant, yet without a twang; luminous as an autumn sunset; free from streakiness in taste; but, finally, rather heavy."

Before the brewery closed in 2003, its most famous beer was its 12.5% Thomas Hardy's Ale, which was featured in the 1978 Guinness Book of Records as the UK's strongest commercially brewed beer.

Despite a fire in 1922 and some additions, the Maltings is still said to be a good example of a late 19th century maltings design. Inside, the building retains its basement structure and evidence of furnaces and drying kilns. 

Previous plans to convert the Maltings to an arts centre failed in 2020 as the £12.5million of funding necessary could not be found. 

The Victorian Society argues that the current plans to crate flats would remove substantial parts of the internal structure, alter the historic elevations of the building and the eastern extension would be "substantially higher than the listed Maltings and would overbear it". 

It added that a new block of flats "to be built to the rear of the site in a jaunty style completely at odds with the listed Maltings buildings which it would be higher than". 

The society has urged Dorset Council to reject the scheme and asked that the developers explore commercial or community uses for the buildings, which it believes would be less harmful.

Victorian Society conservation adviser Connor McNeill said: "The loss of substantial parts of the historic structure and subdivision of significant internal spaces would harm understanding the building as a historic maltings. 

"Its substantially intact exterior would be disfigured by alterations - especially inserting new windows and roof lights. Ultimately, this intensive development would mean the Maltings was, in essence, façaded. 

"The new buildings would hem in the listed buildings, increasing the impression that the historic buildings are lost within a new development, rather than forming the focus of it, as they ought. 

"Dorchester must protect its listed buildings and conservation areas, which make historic places unique. The new block of flats should be able to fund redevelopment of the Maltings themselves in a much less intensive way for commercial or community re-use which would not require such a high level of intervention."

The planning application says the development would be an effective use of the historic site and in keeping with the wider Brewery Square development. 

It states: "The proposed development seeks to reuse The Maltings for community and commercial uses and for the creation of new apartments and to develop a new building known as MaltingsMews, to be used for apartments.

"The principle of development would be acceptable. The application site is located within Dorchester town centre and is within an area allocated for the creation of a mix of commercial, retail and residential uses. In terms of design, the proposed development has undergone pre-application discussions with the council's officers.

"The works to The Maltings would respect its historic character and it is considered that the proposals to convert the listed building to a new use and the associated alterations with this will cause 'less than substantial harm'. Furthermore, the proposals are not considered to result in any negative impacts on the significance of the Conservation Area."

The application can be viewed in full on the Dorset Council website. Comments can no longer be made online, but the Victorian Society has urged those opposing the scheme to write to the council with their objection.