MULTI-MILLION pound plans to restore Weymouth’s Brewers Quay have moved a step forward after a planning application was submitted to the borough council.

If approved, the proposals would provide new leisure, tourism and residential facilities.

A home for Weymouth Museum, additional space for indoor exhibitions and cultural attractions, shops and restaurants all feature as part of the plans.

The site would also include residential apartments and mews houses. Homes would be built on Newtons Road car park as part of a separate application to provide funding needed for the regeneration.

An exhibition was held at Weymouth Museum in August for members of the public to have their say on both applications.

Alastair Ross, a partner at Brewers Quay Investments LLP said: “We are delighted with the overwhelming level of support we have received for this development.

“We had 450 people attend our exhibitions with 86 per cent of the feedback forms submitted showing that people supported all or some of the proposals.

“We are really grateful for the feedback and are pleased with the changes we have made. These include moving the location of the museum to improve access and circulation as well as increasing its size to allow for improved facilities such as a gift shop, dedicated lift, workshop in the basement and additional storage.”

Richard Strode, another partner at Brewers Quay Investments LLP said: “We are also giving the museum the lower and upper vat rooms, where brewing took place, thus allowing much of the brewing equipment to be accessible to the public.

“We have also improved access to the proposed restaurant from Hope Square and reconfigured the internal layout of the Brewers Quay building in response to conservation and heritage comments.

“The redevelopment of Newtons Road car park into six town houses and twelve apartments is crucial in funding the main Brewery Quay redevelopment.

“The historic building has been neglected by successive owners over many years and is in urgent need of refurbishment.”

Cllr John Birtwistle, who represents Weymouth East, said it would be ‘lovely’ to see life returning to the area if the application was successful.

He said: “I’m very pleased that something’s been put in because it’s now been a very long time we have been waiting for the place to be redeveloped.

“It’s nice to know that things are moving and I would hope the developer does what they told me they were going to do, which is revitalise the area.”

Residents will be allowed to submit comments on the applications once they appear on Weymouth and Portland Borough Council’s online Planning Portal.