Brewery Square
The Eldridge Pope brewery ceased production in July 2003. West Dorset District Council granted detailed planning permission for the redevelopment of the brewery in November 2007. The new town quarter, to be known as Brewery Square, includes 30 buildings; new restaurants, bars, 40 shops, a three-screen cinema and a replacement solar-powered railway station (the first in the country) at Dorchester South. A new four-star, 48 bed, Conran designed hotel, will be created from the conversion of the listed Brewhouse, originally designed by Crickmay & Sons. Crickmay was the architect who employed Thomas Hardy until 1872, when he became a full time writer. The scheme also includes c. 650 new flats and 22 houses. The architects are CZWG for most of the new buildings and Conran & Partners for all the conversion buildings and two new buildings. It is one of the largest regeneration projects in the South West, with over 72,000 sq.m. (770,000 sq ft.) of development on the 11.5-acre (47,000 m2) site situated between the main shopping area on South Street, the market and Dorchester South railway station.
The Maltings, one of the original 1880s listed buildings, is, subject to funding, to become a new arts centre for Dorchester. It would replace the existing and cramped premises on School Lane. Oliver Letwin MP, initiated the demolition of the 20th century industrial buildings in early-2006. Construction work on Phase 1, the conversion of the Italianate 1880s Eldridge Pope Offices, started on site in August 2007 and was completed in August 2008. The Sales & Marketing Suite for the development opened in August 2008 and in early September was hailed in the Dorset Echo as the fastest selling new homes development in the country. In June 2007 the Environment Agency granted a license to enable enough water for the scheme to be abstracted so that all the buildings will self sufficient in water from its own well; the same one used by the brewery since 1880.
http://www.brewerysquare.com/clients/www.brewerysquare.com/assets/pdf/hotel.pdf