JUBILANT residents have won a major battle to throw out plans for 56 homes on the former Weymouth Police Station site off Dorchester Road.

Planning officers had urged councillors to support the scheme when they met at Weymouth and Portland Borough Council's planning and traffic committee.

But members voted 10-1 against the scheme for 37 sheltered apartments for the elderly, staff accommodation and 18 affordable homes after hearing nearby residents speak out against the development.

Sue Sidall told the committee that parking was a major issue in the area as were safety and congestion, so more traffic from the development would only make a bad situation worse.

She said: "It is only a matter of time before a serious accident or incident occurs."

Tom Pollard raised the crucial issue of open space by highlighting the fact that the requirement for the site was 2,520 square metres whereas only 1,045 square metres were being provided.

He said it was overdevelopment and that there was a clear issue with the application over lack of amenity space.

Anthony Taylor agreed and said he was "totally opposed to the scheme".

Applicants Signpost Housing and McCarthy & Stone defended the sheltered housing scheme for the elderly and said it was a much more passive form of development which would have a much softer impact on the surrounding area.

It was also revealed that the applicants were making a £56,000 contribution towards off-site open space improvements because of space shortages on site.

But a furious Coun Peter Farrell said: "I am amazed at this development because the open space here is so grossly short as to be staggering.

"It should be refused on grounds of overdevelopment and because there is a shortfall of on-site open space."

Coun John Birtwistle agreed and said: "It is deficient by more than 50 per cent.

"The scheme should provide adequate space."

Colleagues agreed and they decisively refused the development, to the delight of protesters.

Mr Taylor, speaking for the objectors after the meeting, said: "We are well pleased with the committee decision. "We felt that it was the right one."