Decision due over demolition of former council offices at North Quay
They'll be replaced with a car park until a redevelopment plan's agree
Demolition of the former borough council offices at North Quay, Weymouth may get the go ahead in the coming days.
Dorset Council’s area planning committee is being asked to agree that the dilapidated and graffiti-daubed building, which has been empty since 2017, can be knocked down, with temporary parking spaces put in its place until a redevelopment plan for the site is finally agreed.
The estimated cost of demolition and site clearance had been put at around £3million in recent years although the council has not provided an updated figure.
Officers believe the site will be able to take another 45 parking slots bringing the total public spaces available to around 175 at the harbourside location.
The planning application, to be discussed on July 20th, says stone will be used to fill any void once the building is demolished to its footprint level with the surrounding parking area, and the top finished with tarmac.
Similar demolition plans for the site in 2019 were withdrawn after a majority vote by the council’s area planning committee found it to be unacceptable because it “did not encourage the reuse of existing resources,” and was therefore contrary to national to local planning policy.
The new planning application for demolition says: “The existing building has issues in terms of re-use due to age, design and condition. Demolished materials to be used on site if possible, otherwise building materials used elsewhere in the council area. Some of the materials in the building are to be recycled.”
Almost thirty public comments have been received by the council over the demolition plans – some arguing that there will be no tangible benefits from the demolition until a future development plan for the site has been agreed.
One objector accuses the council of “a campaign of misinformation, concealment and lies to support this appalling proposal” with another claiming “the proposal represents a wilful act of environmental and architectural vandalism, it does not represent sustainable development, it ignores national planning policy guidance and should be withdrawn.”
The demolition plans says that an electricity substation will remain on the site and that some trees will have to be felled – although to be replaced in a landscaping scheme.
The former offices, designed to look like a boat, were opened by Princess Anne in 1971 with later extensions added in 1973.
It is believed that the cost to taxpayers since 2017 when staff were moved out has amounted to more than £800,000 – including an out of court settlement to a developer paid by the former borough council after an agreed sale of the site was not concluded.
The last available full year figures, for the 2021-22 financial year, show almost £4,000 on utility bills, £350 for maintenance and £97,300 for business rates.
On the plus side more than £135,000 was received in the same year from car parking fees, although this money is ringfenced for parking services.