Scheme backed by a
5-4 majority

COUNCILLORS have voted narrowly in favour of controversial plans for the redevelopment of the Weymouth Pavilion site, despite a wave of objections.

At a meeting punctuated with cries of disapproval from the audience when members spoke in support, councillors voted 5-4 in favour of the revised scheme with one abstention.

Members of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council's management committee met at the Pavilion Theatre to make a decision on a new brief for the site which envisages a larger scale development to make it more economically viable.

This includes raising the main building from six to eight storeys in parts to provide 337 apartments and increasing the marina size from 150 to 290 berths.

Addressing councillors in front of a 100-strong audience, most of whom were objectors, council planning manager Simon Williams admitted it was not an easy decision, and objections had to be balanced against the benefits the scheme would bring.

He told councillors: "It's a large scheme but it's a brownfield site in need of regeneration. The risk is if there is no development, the site will deteriorate."

The decision still need approval by the full council on June 18.

If backing is given, a planning application will be submitted later in the summer with work starting as early as the end of the year.

Committee chairman Coun Mike Goodman said: "This is a borough which has an infinite ability to dig its heels in while others go ahead with a whole series of developments.

"We have a fantastic opportunity here - one which will not be around in five years' time."

Vice-chairman Coun Geoff Petherick suggested there was a silent majority' in favour.

He said: "I knocked on hundreds of doors in the run-up to the local elections and people were saying to me to just get on with it."

But others questioned the scale of the development with particular concern about the visual impact.

Coun Howard Legg said: "You can see St Alban's Head from outside Marks and Spencer. To get the same view once the marina is built you would have to be north of the Tourist Information Centre."