Residents quizzed the project director of Eden Portland on plans for the tourist attraction.

Sebastian Brooke, Project Director of Eden Portland, gave a short talk at the Portland Permaculture Fayre on Saturday.

The £30m project aims to transform and regenerate Albion Stone’s Jordans Mine and Bower’s Quarry to create an extraordinary subterranean visitor experience dedicated to biodiversity.

He said the two main elements of the project are providing greater education about biodiversity and social regeneration on the island.

He quoted how the borough of Weymouth and Portland ranked bottom for social mobility across the whole of England, and how the new project aims offer jobs and training to the community.

He also announced Eden Portland will be working with THINC, who completed the 911 Ground Zero memorial exhibition, and Vision 3, the Oscar-winning visual effects team behind Hollywood blockbuster Gravity.

The project will be set against a back drop of 180m years to talk about what’s happening in the world today.

Mr Brooke said we’re in an age of extinction, where wildlife is at threat, including one in five mammals and 40 per cent of amphibians.

After the talk residents were given the opportunity to quiz the project director about the plans.

One resident said: "We have to discourage traffic."

Mr Brooke said there will be a 120 space car park on site, which is smaller than the car park they have planning permission for, and will mainly be used out of season. He added: "That will not in itself generate a lot of traffic."

He also said there will be four buses every hour from the planned transport hub at Osprey Quay to the visitor site in peak season.

Discussing the transport hub, He said: “It will be a lot of fun. We want to work with the guys who do the ferry from Weymouth, and we want visitors coming off the cruise ships to be sent up here.”

One resident was left impressed by Mr Brooke's talk and said: "It's looking like a great project already. I went to the meeting last summer in St George's but I think you have done very well today."

Speaking after the meeting Mr Brooke said the important thing is that 3/4 of transport will be based at the bottom of the hill.