Planning appeal for homes at Upway Street scrap yard, Weymouth

As reported, a revised scheme for four homes at Upway Street, near the bus depot, was rejected by Dorset Council in December last year - after an earlier application for six homes was also refused.

Now the applicant has lodged an appeal with the Secretary of State to challenge that decision - but Weymouth Town Council, which previously objected in its role as a consultee during the planning process, still has concerns.

• READ MORE: Objections to 'very small' new homes refused permission in Weymouth as planning appeal submitted

The town council's Planning and Licensing Committee considered the original application on May 5 2020. At that time the council objected on the grounds of parking standards in new developments, design and positioning of buildings; overlooking and privacy; density, and flood risk.

Upway Street is accessed off King Street

At the committee's most recent meeting, members said those objections still stand.

Cllr Jon Orrell said: "We should stick with our original objections - it's a very narrow site and the number of houses they're proposing is quite large and it's in the flood zone.

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"In part of their appeal they're saying it's not in the flood zone and they've also moved the buildings more into the middle," Cllr Peter Dickenson replied.

"Well, it depends on which map you look at," Cllr Orrell replied, in response to Cllr Dickenson's comment about the applicant's challenge to flood zone objections.

The site is to the rear of homes in Upway Street, King Street and Commercial Road. It was once a coal depot and more recently run by Weymouth Reclamation as a scrap yard.

The most recent application offered a mix of one and two-bed homes which it was said would improve the character and appearance of the conservation area and be a better neighbour for residents than the ‘unsightly’ scrap yard.

Upway Street

At the time, Dorset Council's planning officers said that although the re-worked scheme partly addressed some of the original concerns and the area would benefit from the removal of the scrapyard it was still too cramped with inadequate private outdoor space and would not sit well in the Conservation Area.

At the time of writing, it was not possible for the Echo to view the application on Dorset Council's planning website, which has temporarily been taken offline while the authority makes changes to the system.

However, as reported in December last year, in refusing the revised plans Dorset Council concluded that although the scheme had some merits "There is a balance to be had between making the best use of land on a brownfield site, assisting housing land supply and getting an acceptable design that works for potential occupiers.

"This is a revised scheme following refusal of six houses which were more contemporary and had balconies and high use of glazing. This scheme is more low key and has reduced to just four houses, all modest in size and therefore in the lower cost range, although they are private market housing so not affordable in the planning sense."

The final outcome now rests with the Government. However, as part of the appeals process Weymouth Town Council was invited to comment - and a unanimous vote was passed by its planning committee to register an objection.