AN AMBITIOUS plan to reinvigorate Weymouth town centre has moved one step closer after councillors approved a draft vision for public consultation.

The Weymouth Town Centre Masterplan involves developing 1,000 new homes and in excess of 2,700 jobs across five sites.

The plan is a response to the council’s aims of achieving economic investment and producing alternative sources of council revenue.

The plan will cover the Pavilion peninsula, the harbourside, town centre shopping area, Esplanade and the area around the train station.

Members of the borough council’s management committee met on Tuesday to vote in favour of a recommendation for the public to be consulted on the vision document.

Cllr Ray Nowak, briefholder for economic development, said: “It’s really about the continuation of another chapter in the story of Weymouth.

“We can thank the Regency development for making Weymouth one of the first seaside resorts in England and of course it has blossomed over time.

“There are gaps that need to be filled in and we need to move the town forward.”

Cllr Nowak suggested the local authorities had perhaps been complacent in the past in relying on the town’s seaside.

He said: “We need to be more than bucket and spades. We need to be generating people that will invest in new technology and new jobs.”

Cllr Christine James said it was important as many people as possible took part in the consultation.

She said: “We need to make sure that the public are aware that what’s in this document is not set out in stone.

“We are not telling them what we want. We are telling them we want them to be part of the consultation.”

David Evans, director of environment at the borough council, said the decision to create a masterplan was fundamental for the future of the town.

He said: “It’s about jobs. It’s about homes. It’s about taking the best of Weymouth and really taking it forward for the 21st century.”

Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership will provide £600,000 of Growth Deal Funding towards the implementation.

Mr Evans said: “This is where we have really had success with the Dorset LEP. They recognise that the town is now pulling together.”

Cllr Mike Goodman proposed an amendment to the draft vision document, suggesting destination parking should be added as a key proposal on the page relating to the Peninsula site development. This was put as a motion before the committee but it was voted against.

Cllr Mike Byatt, chairman of the management committee, said: “What we can’t do is spend six months picking bones and arguing with each other about detail.

“We’ve got to deliver this and not keep talking about it.”

The plan will go out for consultation between March 9 and April 7.