THE Weymouth Quay Regeneration Project has been dealt a major blow as Dorset Council pulled the plug on the proposed Harbour Centre of Excellence.

The proposed multi-million pound scheme would have seen a centre for coastal business and skills to built at the peninsula to support economic growth and create jobs.

But the council has now made a U-turn on the building, citing financial pressures due to the pandemic.

Part of the regeneration project, to rebuild the harbour walls, has already been carried out. However the Centre for Excellence was the highlight of the scheme and would have provided facilities to support growth of the marine industry and education sector.

The regeneration was awarded a £3.8 million grant from central Government in March last year, with the council pledging to contribute the same amount.

Dorset Council said that due to financial pressures caused by covid it now plans to 'keep options open for other opportunities to develop the Peninsula and harbour'.

A spokesman for the Weymouth Coastal Community Team, behind the project, said: "We are disappointed to hear Dorset Council will no longer be able to site the Centre of Excellence for small and medium coastal businesses on the harbour.

"The Weymouth Coastal Community Team and project board are committed to finding a workable solution and alternative site for this central part of the Weymouth Quay Regeneration Project.

"Right now our business community needs all the help it can get due to the impact of Covid-19. We need to create and safeguard jobs and attract new business to the town.

"Dorset Council has informed us it will be restarting the rest of the build works as soon as possible. The council has already completed the wall repairs and will be starting work on the demolitions of old disused terminal buildings, and the building of the walkway, in due course."

A spokesman for Dorset Council said: “The impact of Covid-19 means that Dorset Council has far less available capital than it had planned when this year's budget was set. While the amount of funding we are contributing to the project remains unchanged, we need to gain best value for money for the local community from the development of the area in the future so we can maximise available funds for post-pandemic priorities.

"With this in mind, we have determined that building the Centre of Excellence on the Peninsula site needs to be reconsidered. The board is currently helping us look for alternative locations for this part of the project.

"This review will help keep our options open for opportunities to develop both the Peninsula and harbour, and find premises for the Centre of Excellence that will provide comparable facilities in a location that we feel is more appropriate and doesn’t limit potential future development of the surrounding area.”