Portland police park mix-up: Temporary officers' accomodation erected without planning permission

12:30pm Monday 23rd July 2012 in Weymouth and Portland Sailing Olympics and Paralympics 2012 News By Rachael Burnett

PARK LIFE: Olympic police accommodation at Southwell Park, Portland, which doesn’t have planning permission PARK LIFE: Olympic police accommodation at Southwell Park, Portland, which doesn’t have planning permission

A TEMPORARY ‘village’ to house police on Portland during the Games has been put up without planning permission.

A total 140 portable buildings have been sited at Southwell Business Park and will be there for at least 22 days.

They are to provide accommodation for more than 200 police officers drafted in for the Olympics .

A report in Friday’s Echo highlighted concerns the officers have over the suitability of their lodgings and the Police Federation called for a review.

Officers say facilities are appalling.

The police, however, have been praised for their Olympic preparations and are having to cope with the problems created by the G4S debacle.

Building on the site started on May 14 but the application was not submitted until June 12 and is currently awaiting retrospective approval.

Simon Williams who was planning manager at the borough council before being appointed head of the Weymouth and Portland 2012 operations team, said: “The application is going to the planning committee on Wednesday.

“An application wasn’t submitted before because the contractor didn’t think they needed it as the buildings are temporary”

Councillor Ian Munro-Price, who represents the Tophill East ward, said: “Obviously, anything that requires planning permission ought to have it and it should have been looked into properly.

“I can understand that if a mistake was made, they are trying to expedite the timescale.”

Len Naylor, who runs the Royal Victoria Lodge, in Portland Square, said: “The organisation for the Olympics on Portland hasn’t been very good from the start.

“They don’t consult us enough and it’s all been a bit of a shambles really.

“I think they should have used local hotels for accommodation, none of us have any bookings during the Olympics and they would get better accommodation than what they’re in now.”

Compass Point Estates, the company which submitted the application, was not available for comment.

'Our force deserves much better'

Portland Town councillor Richard Denton-White said: “If the objection is that the accommodation was put up without planning permission, I find that a bit laughable because the Olympics are one week away and the horse has bolted.

“On the issue of police accommodation, I believe our police officers are under siege from cutbacks from this country’s government and police officers should get first class accommodation. I am completely sympathetic with the objections about the apparent lack of reasonable accommodation. This is just typical of LOCOG and this coalition government. What a way to run the Olympics.”

 

 

Comments(20)

ManOnTheSilverMountain says...
12:41pm Mon 23 Jul 12

So surely as per previous cases, it needs to be taken down immediately.

Or is it double standards, and because it's the Police/Olympics, different rules apply...

Report this post »

TenBobDylanThomasHardy says...
1:04pm Mon 23 Jul 12

I suspect something like 'common-sense' is being applied. Shame it doesn't happen more often.

Report this post »

portland rebel says...
1:28pm Mon 23 Jul 12

ManOnTheSilverMounta
in wrote:
So surely as per previous cases, it needs to be taken down immediately.

Or is it double standards, and because it's the Police/Olympics, different rules apply...
one rule for one and a different one for locog.(wait and see)

Report this post »

siratb says...
1:59pm Mon 23 Jul 12

Wouldn't it have made more sense to have a floatel in Portland harbour - i.e. charter a ship to house the officers on?! I am sure there are plenty around with good accomodation and available for charter.

Report this post »

ETV says...
2:23pm Mon 23 Jul 12

This is pretty typical of how they do things there - half-cocked. Would you really want your children going to an academy that is run like this?

Report this post »

stench says...
3:46pm Mon 23 Jul 12

if there's empty hotels, why the need for tents?

Report this post »

ohec says...
4:35pm Mon 23 Jul 12

I said all along that this sort of thing would happen, all of the locals are getting shat on from a great height, all of those people that thought they were going to make their fortunes are now getting a shock and next year they will wonder why all of their regulars are not coming back.

Report this post »

common cence says...
6:41pm Mon 23 Jul 12

WELL they will have to remove them , tesco,s on portland had to wait 3 months to open as planing for the roadworks had not gone in,,,,, also as for the cabins they are plenty good enough for a couple of weeks , OUR troops would would love to have this standard or billets with a 4 star hotel ,swimming pool, gym and a nice bar , if denton-white wants to comment why dont he do something for our troops

Report this post »

bollywood says...
7:10pm Mon 23 Jul 12

Yet more evidence of a very arrogant council who thinks that they can do as they like. Where did the toilet block at the entrance to Newtons Cove get planning permission. Surely to accommodation blocks will be removed, won't they?

Report this post »

ksmain says...
10:14pm Mon 23 Jul 12

PMSL.

Lets see, so what do we have on the 'FAIL' list now:

1. Temporary police accommodation - no planning permission.
2. Park & Ride Littlemoor - removed likely to flood.
3. G4S - FAIL!!!!!
4. Signs - contractors dump them in the wrong places.
5. Holiday trade - poor bookings.

My personal conclusions - a money driven soap opera in which sport takes a back seat, which will be of little benefit to the local economy, that appears to be organised by people whose organisational skills appear to have deserted them.

Report this post »

Crabber says...
10:16pm Mon 23 Jul 12

Locog will apply and get retrospective planning permission without a doubt. It stinks and I bet the brown envelopes will start flying around North Quay. If it was some retired person who built a house without PP I bet they would be told to demolish it. 3 words spring to mind Brewery,P**s-up & Organize

Report this post »

oldbrock says...
7:48am Tue 24 Jul 12

just lucky there arn't a load of bridges for them to sleep under, like the Jubilee workers had to in London

Report this post »

oldbrock says...
7:52am Tue 24 Jul 12

just lucky there arn't a load of bridges for them to sleep under, like the Jubilee workers had to in London

Report this post »

Naturalised southerner says...
12:45pm Tue 24 Jul 12

"Officers say facilities are appalling"
How can they possibly call these appalling, they are the same as the Armed Forces have in Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia etc. Surely if they are good enough for our service personnel to use in war zones then they must be good enough for some whinging copper who is on a jolly to the greatest sporting event in the world.

Report this post »

Billy1mate says...
9:30pm Tue 24 Jul 12

The planning is down to Compass Point Estates, if it is refused, by the time any enforcement action is taken the Olympics will be over, might be better if the Council approve the application. As for all the negative comments, the whole organisation for the Olympics & sometimes lack of is maybe something to do with not hosting something like this ever, so there are bound to be problems.
The police's accommodation is adequate, it is temporary, they have use of the hotel facilities and are probably getting extra pay, I cannot see a problem with it.

Report this post »

PortlandYoof says...
11:07am Fri 27 Jul 12

Oh they're so hard done by aren't they.. What a load of twoddle, they've been sat out there for the last two days sunbathing and having barbecues! I bet their colleagues in London have no such luxury.

Report this post »

radiator says...
12:55pm Fri 27 Jul 12

Oh come on please!,lets have a bit of common sense over this, these accomadation units are tempory and as I see it they are not a blot on the landscape. Even had it gone to planning would it have been turned down? dont forget the same planners passed Officers Field need I say more.

Report this post »

Saddler says...
12:48am Sat 28 Jul 12

When the Police have gone it can be classrooms!

Report this post »

markerpen says...
12:31pm Sat 28 Jul 12

Isn’t there a 28 day rule that covers this type of temporary accommodation?

Report this post »

monkeydog says...
2:26pm Sun 29 Jul 12

A disgraceful way to treat people. Or police.

Report this post »

click2find

Get Adobe Flash player
About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree