WEYMOUTH’S derelict North Quay office block has moved a step closer towards being demolished thanks to Levelling Up funding from the Government.

As reported, Weymouth is to benefit from a £19.5 million Levelling Up grant after Dorset Council put in a bid for funding – and £4.2 million will be used to help the authority progress with plans for demolishing the ‘eyesore’ former office block opposite Weymouth Marina.

The council will contribute an additional £500,000 which will be spent on upgrading harbour walls nearby; funding a further archaeological survey at the site of the office block, and carrying out highways and utility works in the surrounding area.

It is hoped that a development partner can then be found to help the council regenerate the site after plans for luxury homes and commercial space were unveiled in 2021. 

“To be successful in (applying for Levelling Up) funding is great news for Weymouth and shows that it is not ‘a forgotten town," councillor Tony Ferrari, Dorset Council’s portfolio holder for Property, Assets and Regeneration said.

“In anticipation of this funding announcement, officers have been working on a revised planning application to demolish North Quay. (The funding) will allow us to quickly present this application and to do the required enabling works to bring this site forward as a prime waterfront location, should we get the necessary planning consent.”

The Levelling Up award for Weymouth follows an announcement in 2021 that almost £1million worth of central Government money was to be spent on progressing with demolition work at North Quay, after Dorset Council received a £2.13million grant to help regenerate disused sites across the county into homes.

However the council has since revealed that the £943,255 Brownfield Release Fund allocated to North Quay cannot be accessed as it is subject to terms and conditions relating to the sale or development of the site.

In an update this week a Dorset Council spokesperson said the funding remains unspent, but that it is intended to be spent on site enabling works including work on a retaining wall, demolition and utilities work.