WEYMOUTH and Portland Borough Council is set to approve a planning application for a new home stadium for Weymouth Football Club – as long as developers meet certain criteria.

Members of the council’s planning and traffic committee will meet next Tuesday (August 19) to discuss the proposal, which has been submitted by Wessex Delivery – and construction work could start in the next three years.

The application is for 2.48 hectares of land on Lodmoor Way to be developed into a new stadium with covered stands and associated facilities, a training pitch, floodlights, a community facilities building containing a cafe and a shop and a new car park with 38 spaces and two coach parking spaces.

The stadium’s capacity is estimated to be 5,000 people.

Council officers have recommended that councillors delegate authority to approve the application, subject to Wessex Delivery obliging to financially contribute towards site mitigation, the construction of an alternative tern nesting island and additional wardening on match days.

The club’s current home ground the Bob Lucas Stadium and its training pitch and car park is proposed to be developed into a new housing complex which would include 150 to 170 dwellings, including affordable homes, a public open space, a convenience store, access and parking.

WDDC refused an application by landowners Wessex Delivery last year and the process is going to the Planning Inspectorate later this year with interested parties, including WPBC putting in submissions.

More to follow