Plans to turn Portland washhouses into homes rejected

The tiny buildings, adjacent to Portland prison, to the rear of Alma Terrace, Grove Road, would have been refurbished with each having a mezzanine floor added, had the application been allowed.

Portland Town Council had initially supported the proposal – subject to the comments of Dorset Council officers, but later objected after hearing of concerns.

Dorset Council’s Conservation Officer decided that changes and extensions would cause 'harm' to the significance of the buildings and would also be detrimental to the Grove Conservation Area.

The terrace was built in 1854 to house prison wardens with six single-storey washhouses to the rear, all of which are Grade 2 listed structures, and said to be mainly intact, although in need of maintenance.

Alma Terrace, The Grove, Portland (Image: Trevor Bevins)

Some are still fitted with the original laundry equipment.

Concerns about the loss of the washhouses were also raised by Historic England, the Victorian Society and the Council for British Archaeology.

One of the existing washhouses to the rear of Alma Terrace (Image: Trevor Bevins)

The Victorian Society suggested that other uses might be considered which would preserve the buildings: “The Victorian Society recommend that other options for the building’s reuse should be explored.

"In the first instance, their use as ancillary buildings by the occupants of Alma Terrace should be explored.

This was the washhouses’ historic use and they are uniquely suited to use as storage, workshops or office space for the Terrace occupants.”

The Society also said that if they were to be converted the new homes would be smaller than national guidelines for single-bed properties and would offer only very limited outdoor space.

The planning proposal had been lodged by Mr Grant Purnell from Albany Road, Weymouth with supporting drawings and documentation by Union Architecture.

It had been argued they would be a novel, but useful way, of achieving relatively low-cost housing.