THE green light has been given to nearly double the size of a proposed supermarket on Portland.

Councillors voted in favour of the change to the Castle Court development at Osprey Quay.

They backed the revised scheme for the supermarket – likely to be a discount store – at a Weymouth and Portland Borough Council planning and traffic committee.

The original plan, already approved by councillors, features a public square surrounded on three sides by residential and shops.

The masterplan also includes a hotel, restaurant and Royal Yacht Association facilities plus retail units.

Coun David Hawkins said: “I really feel we should accept this application. I think it will be very good for the island and very good for Wyke Regis.

“When I moved to Portland 24 years ago there was just an airfield.

“I know that Portlanders will support this and it won’t be as unpopular as some other applications have been.”

Coun Christine James said: “Regeneration: that’s the word.”

Coun Kate Wheller was also positive about the proposed development. But she added: “At the moment when you drive past it looks like a cleared bomb site.

“I’m concerned that come 2012, I know we keep talking about that but it is important, that this site shouldn’t still look like a bomb site.”

Councillors voted in favour of replacing the plan for a single-storey 704 square metre supermarket with a supermarket covering 1,345 square metres, due to be built in 2011.

An officer’s report for members stated that the applicants consider there are ‘strong planning merits’ in favour of the proposed changes to the approved food store.

The applicants are quoted as saying: “There is a strong qualitative need for a further food store on the island and there are no other discount food operators that retail on Portland.

“The nearest such retail operators are in Weymouth.”

Councillor approved the scheme but delegated it to officers to add such conditions as there not being a post office or pharmacy.

Others covered opening hours and the completion of the rest of the site where jobs will be created by January 2014.

The proposed operator of the supermarket has not yet been named.