Options for growth
Weymouth and its surrounding area will need more development in future to meet the need for housing, jobs and facilities. Consultation has been undertaken on a number of options for meeting this growth.
The
Government's Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West (opens in a new window) 
set out proposals for development up to 2026. This was published in July 2008 following public consultation. After further consultation the Secretary of States Proposed Changes were published which included an urban extension to Weymouth of 700 homes on land in West Dorset by 2026. West Dorset District Council carried out a number of studies and specialist consultants investigated the options for extensions to Dorchester and Weymouth.
The consultants looked particularly at environmental constraints (such as landscape and nature conservation), infrastructure needs (such as roads and schools) and where these might be significantly costly.
The completed West Dorset Urban Extension Study was used by the district council when it responded to the final consultation on the Regional Spatial Strategy.
West Dorset District Council and consultants identified options for the urban extension to Weymouth. Other areas were looked at but were ruled out because the constraints were too great. There are still some considerable constraints with the options looked at here, as shown in our Weymouth Options for Growth leaflet.
Options
The
three main options shown on the map (pdf, 605kb) (opens in a new window) , are:
- An extension to Littlemoor
- An extension to Southill
- An extension to Chickerell village
For more information on each of these options please read our
Options for Growth leaflet (pdf, 847kb) (opens in a new window) .
West Dorset District Council also consulted to ensure the community was aware of the possibilities for the location of new development adjoining Weymouth and was able to have a say early on in the decision making process. The council consulted on the options from 10 June 2009 to 5 August 2009, which included holding a series of information days. The display board information and the maps from these events are available, to download, below. The
feedback report (pdf, 420kb) (opens in a new window) is available to see at the district council offices in Dorchester and at Chickerell Town Council office and has been forwarded to the libraries at Littlemoor, Chickerell, Weymouth Town Centre and Dorchester.
There was a significant delay in the adoption of the final document and the Government has since announced its intention to abolish Regional Spatial Strategies. However it may still be relevant to look at the growth of Weymouth in the identified locations.
