Planning application to stop landslide at Old Castle Road, Weymouth

It asks Dorset Council for permission to carry out geotechnical works on a 2,000 square metre site alongside 23 Old Castle Road by using piling, land anchors and retaining walls to protect the site of three detached homes which were granted planning permission in September 2017.

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Each of the homes is designed to have three floors, but due to the slope of the land towards Castle Cove beach, would only appear as single storey along Old Castle Road.

The site had previously been used as a garden with a summer house on its northern boundary.

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The application has been made by a Winchester company on behalf of applicant Jason Craig of Castletech Projects Ltd.

The works have been designed by Remedy Geotechnics which say they are in consultation with Natural England about their proposals which would see work start at the foot of the site with the creation of a gabion wall to retain the slipping land, working back up the hill towards Old Castle Road.

Deep piling, with anchor points, is being proposed to protect the three homes from movement.

Landslips at Old Castle Road Picture: Stuart Morris

At the time of the original application for the three homes there were a number of objections, including from Weymouth Civic Society, which said at the time said it has ‘serious concerns’ about the stability of the site.

Said the Society letter of objection in 2017: “The design is awkward and unsatisfactory and would present a most unattractive frontage.”

The Society maintained their view about the unsuitability of any development on this land, having previously objected to other proposals, saying: “the appearance of the proposed buildings would be an intrusion into this attractive coastal landscape, which forms part of the World Heritage Site.”

Nineteen other objections were received at the time – some claiming the homes would be ‘overbearing’, would result in a loss of views, would add to traffic problems in the area and were out of character with surrounding homes and, as with the Civic Society, some objected about the suitability of the site given the stability of the land.

At the time Natural England raised no objection to the proposal for the three homes, stating: “Based on the submitted information and provided cliff stabilization works that would affect the base of the cliff are not required then Natural England is satisfied that there is not likely to be an adverse effect on this site.”

The current application is out for public consultation until March 13 with all the documents available via the Dorset Council website.