Planning permission granted for 2012 spectator area

Thumbs up from the borough council

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council’s Planning Committee this morning granted planning permission for two planning applications submitted earlier this year by the London 2012 Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG).

The planning applications determined today were for:

1. The proposed temporary use of the ZeroC housing development on Osprey Quay, Portland as the competitor accommodation for the 2012 Games sailing events and the additional temporary dining and welfare facilities proposed to be housed in the Chesil Cove Federation Primary School development to cater for more than 500 competitors and officials.

2. The proposed installation for the temporary overlay required for a third-party operator to offer a paid for ticketed spectator experience for the duration of the London 2012 Olympic Sailing competition next summer at the Nothe Gardens, Barrack Road, Weymouth.

With the greater certainty on numbers of people offered by a paid for ticketed programme, the third-party LOCOG would contract with to deliver and operate the ticketed site will be best able to manage the flow of people in and out of, and within, the Nothe Gardens for the benefit of residents and visitors to Weymouth and Portland alike. The event is likely to be cost neutral to LOCOG.

Doug Arnot, LOCOG Director of Games Operations said: "We are delighted with the outcome of this democratic process and thank the Weymouth and Portland Planning Committee, all the people who made representation, the local community and those who provided feedback on our plans prior to submission of the planning applications.

"Both the Osprey Quay site and the Nothe Gardens are on loan to the London 2012 Games. We must return the Nothe Gardens to the residents of Weymouth and Portland in the same condition as it was loaned to us in and we will also undertake improvements to the existing pathways and public WCs.

"We take this responsibility seriously and will continue to work with the local authorities, resident and park user groups and the people of Weymouth and Portland as we move forward with our plans to stage an extraordinary event in 2012 in some of the best small-boat sailing waters in Europe."

Once the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games are over, the kitchens will be installed in the ZeroC units for the future and long term use of the housing and the Nothe Gardens will be restored to its former use and condition after the Olympic Games have concluded. LOCOG will also upgrade the existing public WCs and footpaths in the Nothe Gardens to ensure that there is a legacy for the Nothe Gardens before as well as after the sailing events.