A COUNCIL looks set to reject a community bid to run Weymouth’s prized seafront chalets and instead charge users more and redevelop some of the land.

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council is now planning a way it can continue to manage the Greenhill chalets and facilities known as the ‘jewel in the seafront’ and generate revenue after no-one came forward to take them over.

Rising costs associated with repair and maintenance prompted the council to seek a commercial operator. Many inquiries were received but no commercial tender has been forthcoming.

The only interest has come from not-for-profit community group Greenhill Community Asset Management (GCAM), made up of chalet users, which wants to look after the site on the council’s behalf. It sought a £10,000 grant from the council to do this.

Councillors are being recommended to say ‘thanks but no thanks’ and instead back proposals to allow the council to keep control.

To fund this, the council will sell off some of the chalets, hike up rents and look into redeveloping the Play Garden Chalets (formerly Sluice Gardens).

Sue Bray of GCAM said the group were ‘disappointed’ with recommendations going before the management committee today, which the council says will improve accessibility by introducing open market licensing and leasing arrangements.

GCAM has spent a year putting its bid together and Mrs Bray said: “If the council can’t run the chalets why not let us do it?”

A report by the council’s estates manager Greg Northcote says GCAM, which has the support of user groups, required a £10,000 set-up grant and would offer the council a 60 per cent net revenue share after year one with a predicted yield of £50,000 per annum after year three.

But the plan is based on volunteer labour to undertake repairs and restore chalets.

‘Weaknesses’ in the proposal include assumptions about how the money would be raised and the fact the council would retain cost and reputational risk.

Mr Northcote’s report adds: “Officers recommend letting or licensing chalets on commercial terms. Waiting lists would be closed with people on the list able to lease chalets when they are openly marketed.

“In the absence of a fully-funded proposal the chalets should be restored by the council.

“The cost will be covered by increased market rents, the sale of a proportion of the chalets and ring-fencing revenues and capital receipts.

“The detailed proposal will look at the chalets, public conveniences and tennis courts in a comprehensive enhancement scheme.

“It may include redevelopment of the Play Gardens Chalets. In the meantime vacant chalets will be openly marketed.

“Existing winter licensees will be able to relicense from April 1 paying fees and service charges subject to a five per cent increase over the previous year.”

Council invites lease offer submissions

THE council had invited offers for a 125-year lease of the Greenhill Gardens chalets, Esplanade chalets, Greenhill Play Gardens and chalets, as well as Pebbles cafe, tennis courts, putting green and public toilets.

Community groups were also invited to submit proposals for an asset transfer on a 35-year lease.

There are 100 chalets as part of a close-knit community and there had been fears that a new developer could raise rents and displace families.

A petition attracted thousands of signatures to keep the area in public hands.

The council believed a new operator would be able to maintain and improve the chalets and facilities to a better standard than the council could afford to.

The chalets were expected to produce a gross income of £85,192 in 2013/2014 but the annual bill for various costs including maintenance is more than £90,000. On top of this, future capital repairs mainly affecting the listed building of two-storey chalets are estimated at £885,000.