Olympic Village in Osprey Quay to house 2012 sailors (From Dorset Echo)

Sorry Portland you have been shafted by SWERDA

Now all becomes clear like Get a grip says we have been shafted again, we now know why South West Regional Development Agency were so insistent that the officers field development went ahead. One as to ask are all government departments lies thieves and cheats, from the top to the bottom we are fed lies, is it any wonder the country is in the state it’s in. And still people keep trying to tell us about the great Olympic legacy which is nothing but a big con.

Sorry, I've not been paying attention. Could somebody explain - in short words for the hard of thinking - why Portland's been 'shafted' on this?
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Not challenging anyone's views, just like to know what the issue is.

As the only remaining flat ground in Underhill Officers Field was our sports ground and the building on the land was almost if not entirely opposed too by the residents of Portland, if you look at what they have built so far they are an eyesore already (to high/too close to the road) and totally out of character for the island. That said if any housing had to be built it should have been social housing for local people. But now we know the truth all that remains is for the Weymouth and Portland Olympic Village signs to go up and the big con trick rolls on.

Dear Duckorange

Popup has it correct and in a form for the hard of thinking.

Portlanders have been taken to the cleaners.

i thought these were for local people. So now these houses are going to sit empty waiting for 2012 why local families are waiting to buy affordable housing. Should of left it as a playfield. About time someone started listening to what us portlanders want on our island.

Affordable housing.....mmmm....
If the average wage in the Weyport area is £20k per annum and a mortgage is 3.5 times that, these should be going for £70k. Never in the history have so many been owed so much by so few.

Yup, you've been screwed over.
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And of course they'll be sold on as premium housing with sea views after the Games.

Are these houses going to sit empty until 2012? If yes, then it is disgrace with so many local people wanting homes. When the Olympics is over will they be sold at affordable prices?
Bearing in mind that the average wage in W and P is £20k, and most people I know earn £13k to £14k, will they be sold at prices that equate to local wages?. I think local people are entitled to some answers regarding these properties it is not good enough to say they are for an Olympic village. Lets hear from the powers that be what is to become of them afterwards.

Portlanders have been sold down the river for the Olympics.

I predict that come the day they will be totally ignored.

Sorry you have to blame your councillors who have been out – manoeuvred.

So 700 athletes, coaches and officials in total, 400 in the Olympic Village - what happens to the other 300? I can see a nice Olympic Camp Site on the horizon.

When SWRDA first arrived on the Old Air Station they said no we're not going to build a whole load of houses because our remit is regeneration of jobs!!
Next outline planning goes in for 30 houses on the Officers field site, the town council objected. The Borough council passed it. Then they applied for permission to exit onto Victory Road, same out come as before. Once again they went back to the council to increase the amount of properties and guess what happened AGAIN!!

The Olympics are too big for local interest to stand in the way.

"Competitors raised concerns about being cooped up on a ship". This is the sailing aspect of the Olympics isn't it? Hilarious!

Oh dear, people didn't really think 2012 was about sport did they.
Same as the CrossRail, Millenium Dome, and others, these projects are about regeneration, property development and job creation (and then mostly for the building industry and architects)

Not a word in the report about will happen to these houses after the TWENTY ONE DAYS of events.

They should all be donated for local social housing ... but will that hapen?

We are all being conned by the Olympics featuring an absurdly unfriendly spectator sport.

popup wrote:
As the only remaining flat ground in Underhill Officers Field was our sports ground and the building on the land was almost if not entirely opposed too by the residents of Portland, if you look at what they have built so far they are an eyesore already (to high/too close to the road) and totally out of character for the island. That said if any housing had to be built it should have been social housing for local people. But now we know the truth all that remains is for the Weymouth and Portland Olympic Village signs to go up and the big con trick rolls on.

I think the developers can be criticised for most things to do with this development. The loss of Officers' Field, cramming in too many houses on the site and then of course the lies about the eventual use of the housing/site. But out of character for the island? Just running my thoughts round the old stone cottages all round the island and the estates at Furlands, Courtlands etc, Verne Common Road and East Weare Road. Hardly a single Portland wide style is it. Of course there is the luxury of Victoria Square. Then I would have to agree with you. These new buildings are totally out of sync with that.

Genghis wrote:

popup wrote: As the only remaining flat ground in Underhill Officers Field was our sports ground and the building on the land was almost if not entirely opposed too by the residents of Portland, if you look at what they have built so far they are an eyesore already (to high/too close to the road) and totally out of character for the island. That said if any housing had to be built it should have been social housing for local people. But now we know the truth all that remains is for the Weymouth and Portland Olympic Village signs to go up and the big con trick rolls on.

I think the developers can be criticised for most things to do with this development. The loss of Officers' Field, cramming in too many houses on the site and then of course the lies about the eventual use of the housing/site. But out of character for the island? Just running my thoughts round the old stone cottages all round the island and the estates at Furlands, Courtlands etc, Verne Common Road and East Weare Road. Hardly a single Portland wide style is it. Of course there is the luxury of Victoria Square. Then I would have to agree with you. These new buildings are totally out of sync with that.

My point was that as they are on the main road onto the island they could (should) have represented the island better and been more of a showpiece instead of being what looks like the slums of the future. With the possible exception of the Vicky Lodge or whatever they call it nowadays the whole of that side of the square should be demolished and a nice development could have been built that the whole island could have been proud of, after all its the first thing people see when they come onto the island instead they see a collection of grotty buildings and a rubbish yard.

Permanent asset my arse!!!

popup wrote:

Genghis wrote:

popup wrote: As the only remaining flat ground in Underhill Officers Field was our sports ground and the building on the land was almost if not entirely opposed too by the residents of Portland, if you look at what they have built so far they are an eyesore already (to high/too close to the road) and totally out of character for the island. That said if any housing had to be built it should have been social housing for local people. But now we know the truth all that remains is for the Weymouth and Portland Olympic Village signs to go up and the big con trick rolls on.

I think the developers can be criticised for most things to do with this development. The loss of Officers' Field, cramming in too many houses on the site and then of course the lies about the eventual use of the housing/site. But out of character for the island? Just running my thoughts round the old stone cottages all round the island and the estates at Furlands, Courtlands etc, Verne Common Road and East Weare Road. Hardly a single Portland wide style is it. Of course there is the luxury of Victoria Square. Then I would have to agree with you. These new buildings are totally out of sync with that.

My point was that as they are on the main road onto the island they could (should) have represented the island better and been more of a showpiece instead of being what looks like the slums of the future. With the possible exception of the Vicky Lodge or whatever they call it nowadays the whole of that side of the square should be demolished and a nice development could have been built that the whole island could have been proud of, after all its the first thing people see when they come onto the island instead they see a collection of grotty buildings and a rubbish yard.

They haven't been finished yet so I can't comment on how they will look. Yes a few are close to the road as are the vast majority of houses in Fortuneswell. Too high? So are some of the buildings elsewhere on the Portland. But, in my opinion, even half built they still look far better than Victoria Square.
However the main complaint should be are those in power going to let them get away with the pack of lies they told in getting this development under way in the first place? I don't think we should hold our breath though as the answer will be yes, they will be allowed to get away with it.

Suggest anyone takes a look at the Zero C website to see who's behind this development...John Gummer, remember him?