A VISION to create a leisure park at Weymouth’s harbour gateway is coming to life as plans progress on this key redevelopment site.

Lots of interest is being shown in the scheme from operators that would like to be part of the Pavilion peninsula leisure zone.

Weymouth and Portland borough councillors will be shown a site layout plan which includes all-weather family attractions, hotels and restaurants, walkways and a decked car park.

A small amount of housing is now also being considered, and there are areas set aside for watersports, harbour facilities and a ‘fisheries zone’.

The area is a key Weymouth Town Centre Masterplan redevelopment site and its transformation will provide an economic boost as well as an exciting destination area for locals and visitors.

Plans anticipate both the Pavilion theatre and Tower attraction remaining in place.

The Echo previously revealed how consultants were recommending a leisure-led scheme for the peninsula, and that the council should lead the scheme rather than developers.

The approach, which will involve the council borrowing money to fund the scheme, is still favoured rather than the traditional developer approach. A report says the developer approach is unviable.

A report to next week’s management committee appraises the ‘positive progress’ which has been made on the scheme to date, and outlines the next steps required. Some financial information is contained in confidential papers not being made public.

Consultants Cushman & Wakefield are examining a leisure-led redevelopment scheme, including coming up with a general scheme outline, talking to potential occupiers, producing a travel study, discussing planning issues with officers and the Environment Agency, and looking into financial details.

The report to the committee, by strategic director Martin Hamilton, says: “Cushman & Wakefield have approached a full spectrum of leisure operators, and interest in the site has been positive. Across the range of potential restaurant, cinema, gym, and activity leisure operators the site has generated sufficient interest to give confidence that the vision of a high quality and diverse leisure destination can be realised.

“The spread of occupiers, if realised, would strengthen the town’s leisure and tourism offer and lengthen the tourism season.

“Demand for additional hotel accommodation has been established through the LEP funded tourism study, and this is borne out by direct approaches regarding sites on the peninsula. In addition Cushman & Wakefield continue to engage with hotel developers to better understand the most appropriate hotel solution for the site.”

He adds: “The initial response is very encouraging with more potential occupiers expressing interest than the number of units proposed. The conclusion is that there is sufficient occupier interest to proceed to the next stage, assuming all other scheme aspects can be satisfied.”

The view of the planning authority in pre-planning discussions is that the leisure and hotel uses are in line with policy - but consideration should be given to how this scheme will be received locally.

Further residential use is ok, subject to resolving flood risk issues, the report says.

Planners also say there needs to be some announcement about the ending of ferry services included within a planning application.

HighSpeedFerries wants to run a service from Weymouth to Cherbourg but there has been no movement on this operation.

Referring to services and ground conditions, the report says: "In broad terms, following the site investigations undertaken, the current development proposals are considered deliverable, with some areas of risk that could be managed through considered design, further investigation and a robust procurement strategy."

With regards to transport issues, the scheme will lead to improvements to the Alexandra Gardens gyratory to improve traffic flow.

The report concludes: "A considerable amount of work has been undertaken in progressing the scheme and while there is still a lot to do the results thus far are encouraging.

"This will then allow a conclusion to be drawn on the overall scheme viability, and delivery issues."

The next steps include discussing what to do about the railway line which comes onto the site, review financial opportunities for funding in more detail, consider 'phasing' of the scheme and produce an economic impact assessment of the development on the wider town centre.