Dorset Council has considered the submissions and announced which projects they will be looking to carry forward via grants from Central Government.
[UPDATED: Tuesday 22 June to reflect final submissions made]
Last month, Cllr Tony Ferrari, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, sought suggestions for local infrastructure projects in Weymouth and Portland which could be included as part of a bid for the Government’s ‘Levelling Up’ fund.
The Council had a great response from Weymouth and Portland residents and organisations, and has identified the following potential projects they will be submitting bids for to seek funding.
Weymouth Harbourside Regeneration: Peninsula, North Quay and Brewers Quay
- Investigation and preparation work to enable regeneration of the Peninsula.
- North Quay requires rebuilding of harbour walls, demolition of existing structures and land decontamination to de-risk the site and enable private sector investment for development.
- Regeneration of Brewers Quay for mixed use development, including residential, commercial, community and museum uses.
Weymouth Train Station Access
Proposal for a new 80m long pedestrian / cycling bridge adjacent to the B3155 Swannery Bridge to connect to existing pedestrian and cycle paths either side of Radipole Lake. This will improve access to the town centre, train station and seafront areas. The new bridge would connect the Rodwell Trail and routes to the train station and the Esplanade at Jubilee Clock.
Proposal also includes completion of 100m of cycleway on King Street, a ‘pocket park’ on a section of disused railway and making Park Street two-way for cyclists. These works would complement the planned Weymouth Railway Station Gateway enhancements.
English Aquaculture Innovation Centre (AIC)
The AIC will bring businesses and people together as a place for knowledge exchange and collaborative working, creating an environment of excellence in aquaculture. Provision of co-ordinated access to different sectors that could apply new technology, materials, or equipment to aquaculture.
Project to extend the facilities available to Dorset Innovation Park users
Includes waterfront access in Portland. Name and details of project to be confirmed.
Cllr Tony Ferrari, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, said:
“I want to thank everyone who took the time to submit their proposals for local projects which could be included in our funding bid. We’ve considered them all and picked the ones that we feel stand the best chance of securing funding according to what Government are seeking for this particular scheme.
We would have loved to have added more items; Many of the ideas we have not taken forward in this instance were excellent. I hope people will agree that the items we will be bidding for are excellent too, even if their own preferred project didn’t get onto the list. We won’t be discarding the other suggestions, as the Government has run a number of bids recently and those ideas may be suitable to bid for in future rounds.
It’s important that we as a Council look at all available means of funding projects and developments in Weymouth, Portland and beyond. The Levelling Up Fund is the latest of what I hope will be a series of opportunities for us to attain external funding for things outside of our standard capital budget that we know will make a big difference to residents.”
Dorset Council will be working closely with Weymouth and Portland Town Councils and local businesses, as well as Richard Drax MP. We will publish further details on each of these proposed projects in due course.
I suggest Portland schemes at put forward as well James
cllr Paul.R. Kimber
I urge the council to include the refurbishment or rebuilding of the huge eyesore ex-naval bock (Hardy site) at Castletown. That would bring a major transformation and big ‘levelling up’ to the area.
They need to stabilise the land surrounding it first. Or just knock it all down.