12:45pm Friday 25th July 2008
By Harry Walton
AN old Ministry of Defence wireless telegraphy station on Portland is poised for a new lease of life as a facility for diving and powerboat courses.
Councillors granted permission for a change of use from a transmitter station to an office with storage, a classroom and overnight accommodation.
Members of Weymouth and Portland's planning and traffic committee were told that officers had no problem with the building or potential vehicle movements and that the principle of accommodation ties in well' with the applicant's existing commercial dive and powerboat training operation.
A report said that divers and people who carry out other similar tourism activities do use bunkroom-style accommodation and other such operations already exist on Portland.
The report said there was some sympathy' with nearby residents over the potential for external gatherings' in the evening which could be covered using a condition banning any form of social gathering within the existing fenced compound between 11pm and 7am daily with no music playing anywhere on site except inside the building.
Coun Steven Flew said he was concerned about overnight sleeping because local bed and breakfast operations were not happy and because such an operation was not in keeping' with Portland Bill.
Coun Margaret Leicester agreed and said: "Unfortunately when a bunch of blokes get together they are often noisy.
"This operation will impact on residents and businesses and I feel the Ministry of Defence should be made to remove their redundant buildings."
But Coun John Birtwistle said: "One of the things we try to encourage is leisure use and diving is a very important part of leisure in Weymouth and Portland.
"It is a hideous building but someone wants to use it and bring people into the area. Let's support people who are trying to expand the leisure side of the borough."
Members then voted 8-3 in favour.
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