PLANS to extend Morrisons supermarket in Verwood seem to be finally moving closer to fruition – meaning the loss-making Hub may soon benefit from leisure centre activities.

Spencer Flower, the leader of East Dorset District Council, said several activities from the leisure centre will be moved to the Hub if Morrisons’ plans go ahead.

And Morrisons has confirmed that discussions with the council about making the store bigger and providing a petrol station are progressing.

One source even claimed that plans are expected to be submitted within weeks. But planning officer Neil Lancaster told the Journal he had seen nothing of any potential plans and the planning department had yet to be included in any discussions with the supermarket chain.

The Hub’s chairman, Carol Sharples, says although the committee has agreed in principle to host leisure centre activities, the centre would need its own extension in order to house them.

She said: “We’ve nothing definite at all from anyone – there are some wonderful rumours going round but we know nothing for sure. But if I were in the planning department of Morrisons I would regard Verwood as a pretty safe bet to extend. We wouldn’t say no to hosting the leisure centre activities, I don't think, because for us the more people who come to the Hub the better.

“We get a small proportion of grant aid from the district and town councils, but the rest we have to earn ourselves.”

A Morrisons spokesman said in December: “In the interest of providing our customers with the best possible weekly shop, we are interested in expanding the fresh food offer and range of products at Morrisons Verwood.

“We are currently in talks with the council and considering a number of different options.”

l Concern over a lack of transparency and information concerning the financial situation of the Hub was voiced by several councillors at Verwood Town Council last week.

Councillor Mike Daymond said that the early pioneers for the Hub had published full minutes and reports for the public to see.

Now a closed-door policy operated, he said, and ratepayers had little or no idea how their money was being spent.

Councillor Gillian Belcher, a retiring trustee of the Hub, said that the centre would now be reorganised and have seven directors rather than trustees. The directors have been appointed and will be ratified next month.

Councillor Angela Daymond contrasted the Hub with the dynamic enterprise behind the launch of the new Club 31 at the former British Legion premises.

Club 31 has 1,000 members, while the Hub has fewer than 100.

l Verwood councillor Peter Baker expressed concern at the number of applications for retrospective planning permission for log cabins or conservatories in gardens. Part of the problem, the town council heard, was that some suppliers were telling purchasers planning approval was not needed or was “automatic.”