Calls for reassurance that Portland Hospital site won't become housing
It's been placed on a list earmarking it for future development
There are calls for assurances that Portland Hospital won't be turned into housing.
Portland Councillor Paul Kimber has raised concerns after it appeared on a council list as a potential location for 50 homes.
Councillor David Walsh - who looks after planning - says although it appears on the list - there are no plans he's aware of to either close or redevelop the site.
He told councillors:
“Local planning authorities have a duty to prepare Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessments (SHLAAs) which are intended to set out a record of sites that are assessed for their development potential, and owners can nominate sites for us to consider without prejudice to their existing continued use.
"The assessment is an important source of evidence to inform plan-making but does not in itself determine whether a site should be allocated for development or grant any planning permission for its development.
"Portland Hospital was submitted to us by a planning agent acting on behalf of the owner/operator and we have a duty to report on all sites submitted to us. Therefore it is an identified SHLAA site but the details note it is a community use and that it does not have any planning permission for residential development. The details also have a caveat that its suitability would be subject to finding alternative provision for the healthcare.”