A development on the edge of Portland Harbour has won a prestigious award. 

Crabbers’ Wharf development, in Castletown, landed the top award in Weymouth Civic Society’s annual awards evening held at Nothe Fort.

The development, masterminded by businessman Derek Luckhurst, offers sweeping sea views and is a mixture of business units and and holiday apartments which form the shape of a ship. It replaces previously decaying Copine crab processing buildings.

The ground floor houses small marine business units with nine holiday apartments above, named Caissons View after the nearby Second World War ‘Mulberry Harbour’ Phoenix Caissons. 

Crabbers’ Wharf was praised for its attractive modern design which is said to fit in well with the local maritime environment.

The Society says it has made a valuable contribution to reviving the Castletown area, which suffered following the closure of the naval base, and is part of a major project which includes the refurbishment and re-use of the old Admiralty buildings for Agincare, the new D-Day museum in the same building, newly refurbished shop units and a new building for a diving centre.

A Special Award was given to the Thomas Fowell Buxton Society which commissioned the monument on Bincleaves Green. Dr. John Fannon and Mrs Joyce Fannon, society trustees, were praised for their achievement.

Weymouth College Stonemasonry received the Civic Society’s Practical Artistry Award for the design of the monument by Peter Loizou of the school, and for the detailed carving by students.

A Certificate of Merit was awarded for the restoration of the 19th century Lansdowne Villa in Rodwell, as well as its adjoining new houses and landscaping. 

There were commendations for ‘Monterey’ on Buxton Road, and for the first phase of the new Lorton Park development at Broadwey.

Letters of appreciation were handed to numbers 38 to 40 The Esplanade, where restaurant and shop fronts were replaced with Georgian features, and for the refurbishment of The Old Harbour House on Trinity Road, which now has The Bridge fair trade shop on the ground floor.