£3.5 million Dorset Council match funding for Weymouth regeneration
The project's already got £19.5 million from the Government
Match funding of £3.5million for redevelopment in Weymouth has been approved by Dorset Council’s Cabinet.
The town has already been promised almost £19.5million by the Government from ‘levelling up’ funding – mainly for the Peninsula and North Quay sites.
Around £4 million of that had been earmarked for the New Bond Street/Commercial Road area, although Dorset Council is now seeking to switch this element of Government funding to the former Weymouth Bowl site, which is likely to be redeveloped with housing.
The move comes after the leasehold of council-owned Commercial Road car park and adjoining Cineworld and TK Maxx sites were sold to an investor.
Radipole councillor David Gray called on the council to look for long-term prosperity from the funding money rather than short-term gains:
“What we need is a vision,” he said.
Cllr Mark Roberts, who chairs the council’s harbours advisory board, said he was pleased than much of the investment would build on the importance of the harbour as an asset to Weymouth with the redevelopment of the former borough council offices at North Quay and the Peninsula site.
The council was told in January 2023 that the Government intended to award the full bid of £19.47million with Dorset Council required to make a £3.5million contribution, included in a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government, agreed in March.
A council report on the issue said:
“The council submission offered a series of outputs that would be realised through the successful delivery of the project. These outputs included upgraded or repaired harbour walls, enhanced public realm works, all with a view to enabling the delivery of 7,818 metres squared of leisure-led commercial development with 374 market and affordable homes. The council has committed to delivering these outputs in the memorandum.”
Cabinet members praised former Littlemoor and Preston councillor Tony Ferrari, who died on November 6th, for his work on the Weymouth Waterside Regeneration bid.
Cllr Simon Gibson, portfolio holder for economic growth told the meeting:
“I would personally like to thank Cllr Ferrari for all the work he had done in getting the bid to this stage – I will always be mindful of the work he did on behalf of Weymouth, a town he served so well.”
Cllr Andrew Parry, who took over the assets and property role from Cllr Ferrari, added his voice to the tributes, saying:
“Tony did some fantastic work on levelling up."