COUNCILLORS have refused retrospective planning permission for lodgings put up to house police officers during the Olympics .

But officers will still be allowed to stay there because it will take the length of the Games for official action to be taken.

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council served an enforcement notice for the 140 portable buildings built near Southwell Business Park on Portland without planning permission and were said to have damaged a wildlife habitat.

However, the notice won’t come into effect until after the Games, borough planners heard at a meeting.

The temporary ‘village’ will house more than 200 police officers drafted in for extra security for the Olympics.

Natural England said the ‘unauthorised installation’ of the buildings had resulted in ‘serious’ damage to rich limestone grassland, a UK priority habitat and a Site of Nature Conservation Interest.

Councillor Peter Farrell told the committee there had been a ‘cavalier attitude’ in putting up the buildings.

He added: “If this was an ordinary person we’d be dealing with immediate removal and prosecution.

“To rubberstamp huge damage to an SNCI is wrong for a committee. I’m certainly not going to sit here and put my hand up to this.

“We’re doing a disservice to the person who doesn’t get this kind of largesse.”

An officer’s report recommended that retrospective permission be granted subject to conditions.

Natural England and the Dorset Wildlife Trust said they were happy with WPBC’s planning department’s offer that half the buildings should be placed off the SNCI.

“Natural England can therefore see no advantage in removing these cabins until after the specified period of use,” the report said.

Applicants Compass Point Estates agreed to reseed and restore an SNCI that had been damaged by the buildings.

An offer was also made to break-up concrete slabs and reseed a track.

Coun Anne Kenwood said: “What matters is putting this right. We’ve got the Olympics coming up and there’s no time to do anything about this. We’ve got to support this and we’ve got to put it right.”

Coun Margaret Leicester said: “People are concerned. I want to ensure repairs to the damaged areas are carried out to the letter.”

Coun Christine James said the applicant had ridden ‘roughshod over every rule and regulation in place’.

She added: “They should know better to get planning permission.”

Four councillors voted in favour of the enforcement notice and two voted against it.

Compass Point Estates, the company which submitted the application, was not available for comment.