Disabled anglers fear they are at end of line
10:49am Tuesday 22nd July 2008
Comments (10)DISABLED anglers claim they have been cast adrift by plans for the new Weymouth Pavilion.
The proposed development could force hundreds of disabled fishing enthusiasts to give up their hobby because they won't have access from the site.
Developer Howard Holdings says public access will only be available on the Weymouth Beach side of the new development. But a Weymouth disabled anglers' group says the water there is too shallow and there is nowhere else suitable for angling in the resort with nearby parking spaces.
Groups of disabled adults and children currently fish at the pleasure pier area of the Pavilion close to the Condor Ferries terminal.
The Disabled Angling Association of the Weymouth Angling Society arranges for groups to use the area from all over the country.
Andy Alcock, chairman of the South West Federation of Sea Anglers, said: "Over the last 20 years we have lost so many disabled fishing areas and now we stand to lose this one.
"At the moment disabled people can park their car within 10ft of the fishing area and this is why it's designed like this.
"They get as much pleasure from their hobby as anyone gets from a hobby."
Mr Alcock added that the alternative of fishing on the other side of the harbour would mean no nearby car parks for people in wheelchairs or for those who use dwalking aids.
He said: "So many children and adults use the area for competitions.
"In a time when we are trying to get our kids away from the computer and doing outdoor activities, they haven't thought this through."
Gary Charman, the regional director of Howard Holdings, said the new promenade for the Pavilion re-development would be considerably longer.
He added: "There will be more than adequate space for people to fish in.
"The pier will be twice as long, probably about 300 metres, and it will be four or five metres wide so there will be enough space for anglers and for people to fish in.
"We won't be providing public access to the south side of the pier for health and safety reasons."
Mr Charman said the new promenade would be built in keeping with Disability Discrimination Act regulations and that ramp access would be provided from the underground car park.
Your Say YourDorset Echo
tiger, preston says...
11:32am Tue 22 Jul 08
The marina is dependant on the harbour commission granting permission.
Should permission not be granted, then the marina cannot go ahead, therefore there will not be access to anywhere as the piers will not be built, but the rest of the development will still go ahead.
It is understood that with a 150 berth marina the development would not be viable, and that a 180 room hotel was needed but according to HH plans a 140 room hotel and no marina is still viable.
Who is irresponsible for all these misleading and contradictory figures.
I agree that this area is badly in need of refurbishment due to years of council neglect but refurbish for leisure and recreational purposes.
£8,000,000 is being made available by the council for investment in shaky financial institutions, why can this not be used to the benefit of the council tax payers and visitors?
weymouthfox, Weymouth says...
12:23pm Tue 22 Jul 08
techie, Weymouth says...
12:43pm Tue 22 Jul 08
weymouthfox wrote:For about the eighty-seventh time: that £8m is £8m of reserves, to go and sink that into a capital project of this size would be financial mismanagement of an enormous scale.
If the council is investing £8m in financial institutions, why could it not have paid to refurbish the Pavilion Theatre with that money, then look for grants to turn the peninsula into an Olympic Park for the benefit of us citizens?
Turning (again) to the subject of grants, I would refer you to WPBC's "Insight" newletter from March this year:
Some people have asked why we cant have a smaller scheme with less
residential and with public funding from grants?
European Union Funding
We do not fall within any European Union Objective Area. By contrast for example, Cornwall is within an Objective 1 Area which means it qualifes for a high level of grant. This part of the South West Region has never qualifed for the EU Objective status, which is the route for large scale funding because of its relative prosperity (despite pockets of deprivation in Weymouth & Portland).
Lottery Funding
The Council has tried to access the Lottery for grant fund aid in relation to the Pavilion previously. Due to the rejection of that application, the Council decided to look at the opportunities through commercial partnerships. This is the arrangement with Howard Holdings. Nationally, lottery funding is now being directed away from the arts towards the Olympics.
Government Funding via South West Regional Development Agency
SWRDA has indicated grant support is not available for the replacement or refurbishment of the Theatre and other civic facilities. There is an expectation that commercial development can fund the public works, in line with practice elsewhere.
And re Northern Rock being "shaky" - (tiger) - what planet are you on?! Investments in Northern Rock are as copper-bottomed as you can get at the moment as it's all guranteed by the government.
tiger, preston says...
2:19pm Tue 22 Jul 08
And re Northern Rock being "shaky" - (tiger) - what planet are you on?! Investments in Northern Rock are as copper-bottomed as you can get at the moment as it's all guranteed by the government.
There is currently a guarantee of £50,000 per account holder in Northern Rock, or any financial institution should they collapse, this would lead to a loss of £2,450,000 from this reserve should they collapes.
For about the eighty-seventh time: that £8m is £8m of reserves, to go and sink that into a capital project of this size would be financial mismanagement of an enormous scale.How can this £8m be from reserves? £6m is not due to be invested until October '08 the remaining £2m in December. What are the reserves to be used for anyway? The last time I saw them used was to pay councillor's increases and arrears.
Fishman68, Weymouth says...
3:31pm Tue 22 Jul 08
weymouthman, weymouth says...
5:14pm Tue 22 Jul 08
dan, Dorchester says...
6:27pm Tue 22 Jul 08
DingDonG, Wilds of Wiltshire says...
8:24pm Tue 22 Jul 08
dan wrote:Well, I'm sure THAT bit of interesting news will please the disabled anglers of the parish...
The 'tiger' comment above is wrong. Investments in Northern Rock Bank are 100% secure and the company has to give some months notice to its investors if this is to be changed. So Northern Rock investors are in the safestBank in the UK.
Ask Archie, Weymouth says...
10:20am Wed 23 Jul 08
Fishman68 wrote:What an ignorant attitude.I'm able bodied and can't beleive this comment.Unfortunatly W&PBC & HH will take no notice at all the whole project is signed and sealed no matter how much "consultation" they say they have had with the local population.And before before anyone comments I'm in favour of a pavillion development.
Typical socialist headline we can to expect from the PC brigade, if they need to be so close to their cars why dont they go to West Bay!
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mr.d, weymouth says...
11:26am Tue 22 Jul 08