WEYMOUTH seafront is back in the spotlight today as councillors consider the way forward for a new Esplanade lighting scheme to replace the lasers.

As reported in the Echo, Weymouth and Portland Borough Council has secured £200,000 from Dorset County Council’s Coastal Connections project towards developing a new lighting scheme.

It enables the council to consider a new approach to the seafront following criticism of the Veils of Light lasers and amid strong local support for the return of the ‘fairy lights’.

A modern version of the fairy lights is set to be investigated with a business case including assessments to see what sort of infrastructure would have to be in place.

A decision was deferred at a meeting in April to allow for discussions on the allocation of council reserves to support the project.

The issue is being brought back to the council’s Management Committee today when councillors will look again at the options available for taking forward a process for developing a new scheme.

A report recommends the council enters into a funding contract with DCC to benefit from the £200,000 grant, and works with the Dorset Coast Forum to develop a new lighting scheme.

There is also a recommendation for the committee to allocate £50,000 from reserves to pay for consultants to come up with specialists reports to review the lighting, and for a period of consultation to be held.

Committee chairman Cllr Jeff Cant said he would be ‘very reluctant’ for the council to spend money on consultants, unless at some point in future they were able to provide technical advice.

Cllr Cant said the council didn’t need specialist reports to establish what lighting systems operated successfully in other seaside towns and for some design options for Weymouth to be put forward. This, he said, could be done by officers in-house at minimal cost.

Tourism and culture spokesman Cllr Richard Kosior said the council would need to know if the project is feasible.

But he added: “We shouldn’t be paying out money for a report that states the obvious. If we do spend money we’d need to know exactly what it will be used for. If it’s for a report that will tell us what will work and how then it’s good use of funding.”

The report to the management committee says: “An opportunity has arisen to review the current lighting scheme and develop artist-led lighting proposals including a catenary design.

“The grant of £200,000 will contribute to the design and installation of an innovative and attractive new lighting scheme on the Esplanade.”

It says a lighting scheme would only be successful if it compliments existing infrastructure, is not detrimental to the Conservation Area and is supported by the community.

It is not clear what the total cost of the scheme will be.

The report adds: “The proposals for developing a new lighting scheme for the Esplanade will involve significant community engagement and consultation with key stakeholders (including local businesses). This will be carried out in consultation with the Dorset Coast Forum and Bounce Back Arts as a condition of the Coastal Communities Fund grant.”