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“It is our commitment to report the facts. Therefore, the media reports in this section reflect factual information.” The Draft Masterplan consultation Press releases Dorset Echo: 23.01.07 Dorset Echo: 14.11.06 Dorset Echo: 09.11.06 Dorset Echo: 07.11.06 Dorset Echo: 20.10.06 Dorset Echo: 19.09.06 Dorset Echo: 05.05.06 Dorset Echo: 04.05.06 Dorset Echo: 27.04.06 Dorset Echo: 20.02.06
Dorset Echo: 23.01.07 PROPOSALS for key elements of Weymouth's Pavilion and ferry terminal scheme are to be decided at a crunch meeting. Recommendations about the landmark site - including a marina, theatre, community room, hotel and World Heritage Centre - will go before councillors on January 29. Members of the special meeting of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council's environment and conservation committee will consider which elements they want included in the site's revised masterplan. Environment and conservation committee chairman Coun Geoff Petherick said: "This is a huge opportunity for us to carry out a major regeneration project which will improve the vibrancy of the resort and bring with it employment, housing, community benefits and prosperity." The summit comes after a public consultation on the multi-million pound scheme sparked 730 replies - including 2,200 points. A quarter of responses backed the scheme but three-quarters raised concerns. The committee will decide on a series of recommendations about key elements of the masterplan proposed by developers Howard Holdings - such as the marina and theatre. Their recommendations will then go to a special meeting of the full Weymouth and Portland Borough Council on February 8. The masterplan will be agreed before Howard Holdings lodges a detailed planning application in the spring. One recommendation at the meeting on January 29 includes the 350-berth marina not going ahead if it has a negative impact' on the beach and that, even if it does go ahead, it should be smaller than currently proposed. Another recommendation is that a four-star hotel must be included in plans and that the council's policy to provide 30 per cent affordable housing must be met when up to 345 flats are built. A proposed landmark building will also be debated with a recommendation that its detailed design be a crucial part of the planning process'. Other proposals for the scheme to be decided include the size of a room to replace the Ocean Room at the Pavilion, a remodelled theatre and a new ferry terminal. Coun Petherick said: "It is the responsibility of the council to deliver the best deal we can for the people of Weymouth and Portland, creating improved community facilities as part of the scheme. "We said we would listen to the public during the consultations and the proposed changes to the master plan reflect that." Members of the public were asked for their views before Christmas on the controversial £100 million plus project. The council said the response had been hugely successful'.
Dorset Echo: 14.11.06
The traders unanimously called for the scheme to be given the green light at a recent meeting. Last week 1,000 protesters marched in Weymouth against the scheme - estimated to cost between £100 million and £120 million. But the Harbour Traders' Association reckons the project will boost the local economy and benefit everybody. Group chairman Peter Ledger said: "I'd say 100 per cent of our group supported the development at our last meeting, although some said they did have concerns about the effects a new harbour might have on our harbour in terms of the waves produced. "It was noted that the marina part of the plan would need a cast iron statement by H R Wallingford, the leading hydraulic engineers contracted by Howard Holdings, to undertake a complete study on the impact of the marina on the harbour and the beach. "But if this is positive then members felt we should get behind Howard Holdings. There was some initial concerns that it would draw trade away from the harbour but I feel that people who come over to the Hope Square area are looking for a more relaxed night than in the town centre." After the protest march last week the organisers handed a 4,000-name petition to Councillor Brian Ellis. Some were against the community room being a third the size of that at the Pavilion now. Others were against an increase in the size of the development - initial plans indicated a 130-berth marina and 130 apartments, compared to new proposals which include a 350-berth marina and between 290 and 345 flats. Mr Ledger said: "The more people there are, the bigger the boost to the economy, and the more money there is in everybody's pocket. "We know a lot of these apartments will be bought by people who work in London or other cities. But if they want to earn money in London and spend it here, that's great news for everybody." He added: "The Pavilion development is imperative and this opportunity should not be allowed to slip by."
Dorset Echo: 09.11.06 Q. Why is the council redeveloping this site? Much of the site is occupied by tired buildings that are well past their sell-by date, and the remainder of the site is either a car park, underused ferry terminal or old railway land. Q. What is the community getting out of this? A redevelopment of the site will provide the community with a completely remodelled theatre, new sea defences, a new ferry terminal, a World Heritage Coast Centre, a new community room, a 400-space public car park and a major contribution to the number of affordable homes. The site will be much more accessible for the public and will become a place to visit. More broadly we will get a high quality development including a four-star hotel, shops, restaurants, marina and lively public areas that will be an asset to the resort, and bring new jobs to the borough. Doing nothing will cost the council tax payer millions of pounds over the next few years. Q. Why has the number of flats in the plan increased? The sketches shown previously were no more than ideas to show the kind of development being considered. They were prepared to help the council choose which developer to select as its preferred partner. At that stage, the cost of off site services - gas, water, sewerage etc - and the sea defence works had not been established in any detail. Now it is clear that these costs are substantial and the masterplan indicates that the likely number of residential units is in the range of 290-345 apartments. Q. Why do we need to have flats? The council is looking to reduce its costs and does not have the finance to redevelop the site on its own - or even maintain the existing facilities. No one will simply give the council a remodelled theatre or a new World Heritage Centre. No one will rebuild the sea defences or contribute to affordable homes for nothing. The developers must generate enough income from the site to pay for all the benefits the council is seeking and provide themselves with a return on their investment for the risks they will be taking. The building and selling of apartments is largely the way that money is generated. Q. Why not build a spinnaker tower like Portsmouth? The facts speak for themselves. Spinnaker Tower, while a great landmark, has proved to be something of a folly for Portsmouth. The Spinnaker Tower cost £35.6 million to build and was finished six years late. It has cost the local authority and hence council taxpayers a great deal of money. Q. What is a remodelled' theatre? The theatre will be completely stripped out, re-clad and re-roofed externally, completely changing its appearance. New backstage facilities including improved wing space, loading docks and changing rooms will also be provided, as will new lighting and audio systems. New front of house facilities, new seating, disabled facilities and caf/bar areas at all levels should improve both its attractiveness and viability. Q. Where will the affordable housing be built? The requirement in the masterplan, according to planning policy, is that 30 per cent affordable housing should be provided, including both for-rent and shared ownership, and that this be provided either on and/or off site. The masterplan suggests a mix of house types on and off-site, though the precise split and mix will be negotiated further as part of the detailed planning application expected in March 2007.
Demand for berths in this area is high, with both the council's inner harbour berths and the private marina having waiting lists for permanent berths. The new marina will generate work for local marine businesses and income in the town from visiting yachts. Q. When will we know what effect the proposed marina will have on the beach? The council has always said that it is not prepared to put the beach at risk. The country's leading hydrological surveyors have been employed to undertake a study of the bay and beach. Stages 1 and 2 of the study have been completed; stage 3, involving a major computer study and a marine survey involving test drilling, is going on now. Once we have the full results, in early 2007, a decision will be made regarding the proposed marina. Q. What are the consequences of the development not going ahead? The sustainability appraisal sets out the impact of a "do nothing" option, which will result in ongoing site deterioration as well as increasing year-on-year maintenance requirements, decreasing use and knock-on impacts on the image of the town, seafront and economy generally. This is money the council does not have and is unlikely to be able to get. This and the £ 1.1 million annual subsidy needed to keep the Pavilion operating might result in it having to close. Q. How many car parking spaces will be available for the public? The masterplan proposes 400 spaces for public use. A pay on foot' system is proposed and this will be located at the lower level under the podium. Spaces will also be provided to meet the needs of the Ferry Terminal, residents and other uses. Q. How tall will the hotel and flats be? Illustrations are given in the masterplan and the model. The buildings step up from the Devonshire Buildings end of the site to the far end. The highest block at the far end is around five metres higher than the existing Royal Hotel. Protecting key views, such as the view of the Nothe Fort from the Clock Tower, has been an important consideration in drawing up the Masterplan. Q. Are we losing the area in front of the Pavilion? It appears on the plan as the heritage centre, with the theatre squashed in behind it. This is an important much needed space which is used for lots of events during and out of season. How much outside public/ events space will there be? Areas including the central square; the beachside walkway (an extension to the Esplanade); the marina frontage and the north pier of the marina (with a new end of the pier feature) will be open to the public. Q. Why is the size of the Ocean Room being reduced? The present Ocean Room is old, tired, energy-inefficient, loses a lot of money and is too big to be viable in a community the size of Weymouth and Portland. There just isn't the demand day-in day-out for a room of this size. For example, it is recognised that some value the Ocean Room as a ballroom, but such uses are heavily subsidised and produce very little bar and catering income. Readers might be interested in some key facts: 1. Line dancers use the Ocean Room just one or two evenings a year. 2. Ballroom dancers use the Ocean Room, on average, just over one evening each week. 3. The average number of dancers attending an event is approximately 150. The Ocean Room is licensed for 600, meaning it is used to a quarter of its capacity. 4. A professional dance company had planned eight visits to the Ocean Room over the next 12 months. These all had to be cancelled due to lack of support. 5. For some events, the money taken at the bar is very small and does not even cover the staff wages. One recent event resulted in just £37 being taken over the bar. 6. Maintenance and upkeep is a daily, all year round necessity. This is expensive. 7. The Pavilion Theatre and Ocean Room costs taxpayers Q. Where and how big will the internal community space be? As currently planned, the replacement community room will be on the first floor above the World Heritage Centre at the front of the remodelled theatre. Although about half the size of the existing Ocean Room, the replacement is very large and at approximately 300 square metres (3,200 square feet) is bigger than the ballroom at the Prince Regent. Q. How many seats will the theatre have? The auditorium will remain the same size. However, if we choose to improve the size and quality of the seats, together with improved disabled provision, the number of seats will then be about 950. There are currently 993 seats. Q. Why has the developer not purchased the site for development? Normally, developers purchase sites for redevelopment on the basis of the type and amount of development they believe can be achieved, less all costs (including build costs, the cost of any off-site works, planning gain, interest and profit and land cost). For the Pavilion and ferry terminal site, the developer takes a long lease for £1 and is required to design the scheme, obtain all necessary consents, demolish and clear the site, replace/build new sea defences, provide new infrastructure, services and roads and construct all of the civic buildings and facilities - at no cost to the council. That cost is the equivalent of a land purchase price' and is currently estimated at a minimum of £20 million. Q. How do we know we are getting a good deal? The council and Howard Holdings have always and will continue to adopt an open book approach - this means that all information is shared at every stage. Importantly, the deal has been and will continue to be independently vetted by a top nationally-known firm of valuers to ensure that the council and the community get the maximum benefit. Q. There have been a lot of confusing letters in the Echo about whether and/or how the site was put out to tender in the first place. Can you clear that up? The site wasn't put out to formal tender. It would have been very expensive because of the need to prepare extensive specification documents and reliable background information, such as site conditions. All of this would have been at the expense of council taxpayers and with no guarantee of a successful outcome. Normally councils also want to see what different ideas developers have on such big complicated mixed-use sites. Developers are also reluctant to go to all the expense of submitting formal tenders on large complex developments where they might only have a slim chance of success. Instead, expressions of interest' were requested. This produced seven firms that were interested; of these, four were shortlisted. Of the final four, one did not produce its sketch plans in time and one failed to produce any financial information. Of the remaining two, Howard Holdings was preferred both by the public and in terms of its track record. Interestingly, the other firm has now gone out of business. Q. Why are we not including a modern tramway system from the railway station to the Pavilion development, similar to that in operation in Bristol along the river to the Great Eastern'? The only way to get funding for things like tramways is from central government. Major cities like Manchester, Sheffield etc, are having trouble getting funding for such schemes. In relatively small towns like Weymouth the bus is a more cost-effective and flexible form of transport. The private sector looked at the tramway only a few years ago and couldn't come up with a viable scheme. Q. It is said that the views of the Nothe Fort from the clock tower will be protected but it does not appear that the reverse is true. It will be impossible to see the town and beach from the Nothe! Views are always two-way! If you go along to the exhibition you will see various materials showing exactly how the views will be affected.
Newton's Cove is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, which is why we had to take so much care when we did the coastal defence scheme. There is therefore no chance of getting planning permission for a marina there. The same applies to Bincleaves.
The site is a very accessible location, since it is within walking distance of the town centre, bus routes and the rail station. As a result, car use will be not as intense. The relief road proposal and the associated 1,000-space park and ride facilities are all expected to ease traffic levels in the centre, including King Street and the Esplanade. This will allow muchneeded investment and redevelopment to take place The mix of uses proposed means that traffic will be spread out over the day, rather than concentrated at peak time, when congestion along the Esplanade is at its worst. Flats are low traffic generators compared with houses, especially at peak time, because there are few, if any, school run trips and typically the number of residents in traditional employment tends to be low. Traffic associated with the marina is also expected to be low and spread out. Also, many of the marina berths are expected to be taken by occupiers of the residential development, thereby reducing car trips to the site by boat owners.
Dorset Echo: 07.11.06 STUDENTS in Weymouth and Portland have voted in favour of the Pavilion and ferry terminal development at an open day. An exit survey at a schools and colleges day at Weymouth Arts Centre found that 91 per cent believe it will be good for the town. And 85 per cent of the students who attended the Draft Masterplan Exhibition liked the proposals so far. Almost 40 students from Budmouth Technology College, Royal Manor Arts College, Weymouth College and All Saints School attended last Friday's event. It gave Weymouth's next generation the chance to see plans for the town, talk to Howard Holdings, Barlow Henley Architects and the council, and record their comments. In addition to the exit survey, a post-it-note wall enabled them to give their views to the public and comments included 'bringing us into the future', 'it's a fantastic idea' and 'I really like the Pavilion'. Howard Holdings spokesman Gary Charman said: "We were delighted to see so many schools and colleges represented. "It was great to see their enthusiasm for the future of Weymouth and listen to their views." He added: "Friday was the first day that a significant number of young people have visited the exhibition. "It is very important to ensure that any decisions made by the council when the consultation period ends are based on the views of all age groups." The developer encourages more young people to visit the Draft Masterplan Exhibition before it closes on Friday, November 19.
Dorset Echo: 20.10.06 DEVELOPERS of Weymouth's Pavilion scheme today hit back at claims they are taking the town for a ride'. Howard Holdings director Martin Jepson says he is baffled by criticism levelled at a scheme opening for public consultation tomorrow. He said: "We're not trying to pull the wool over anybody's eyes. I defy you to go to any other developer, show them the books and have them say Weymouth was not getting a good deal." This week Weymouth and Portland borough councillor John Birtwistle hit out at Howard Holdings for changing plans and not revealing the costs. He said Howard Holdings was taking the town for a ride in light of changes to the scheme and a lack of information about costs. When the firm won the development deal earlier this year it offered a 130-berth marina, a 125-bedroom four-star hotel and 130 apartments for £89million. The proposed scheme now includes a 350-berth marina, between 290 and 345 apartments and a community room a third the size of one in the Pavilion now. But Mr Jepson says unforeseen expenses have forced a bigger development, which will now cost between £100 and £120million to build. He also revealed that Howard Holdings will make a 17 per cent profit on the final cost - around £20millon - and any remaining profit will be split 50-50 with the council. He said: "I find it very difficult to understand the conclusion that we were taking the town for a ride. "We have an open book approach with the council - it has access to all costs. "We will be delivering community services with at no cost to the council - and we are taking all the risk." He continued: "There are a number of reasons for the changes. There have been unforeseen costs such as significant extra sea defences to ensure sustainability. "So far we have spent close to £1million on the development - on marine surveys, consultants, mapping the area. "And by the time we hopefully get it through planning in the autumn of 2007 we would have spent £3million." He added: "But we don't have the luxury some developers have of sitting on the site. We will start work as soon as possible because we need to have it ready for the Olympics. "We aim to have the development complete by the end of 2011."
Dorset Echo: 20.10.06 COME and have your say on the new £120 million Weymouth Pavilion development. That was the message from Weymouth and Portland Borough Coun-il's environment committee chairman on the eve of the project's public consultation. Councillor Geoff Petherick said: "Once it's built there's no going back. This is residents' chance to see what the plans are and have their say. "This is one of biggest projects to be proposed in Dorset for years and it could prove a vibrant boost to the local economy. At the moment we've got a theatre that's looking pretty grim and the main aim is to develop the economy. One of things I'm most concerned about is the fact council tax payers are paying for the theatre subsidy - and some can't even afford to go to the performances." "I would urge any resident to attend this consultation." The draft master plans - including a scale model -have been developed by Howard Holdings and will go on show at Weymouth Arts Centre. They include a high quality' 150-bed hotel, a 350-berth marina, between 290 and 345 new homes, a renovated theatre seating more than 900, a community room, an 800 space underground car park and a world heritage site visitor centre. Holdings managing director Martin Jepson said: "I don't think that anyone would argue that at the moment the theatre is a bit of an eyesore and I understand it's costing over a million a year in subsidy. "I know there has been some concern about a refurbished theatre but once it's done up it will look completely new. "Look at the opportunities marinas open up - Brighton, Southampton, Poole. They're all a boost to the local economy. "Why shouldn't that happen to Weymouth? "At the moment there's a 10-acre site which has a lot of wasted space. It's very inefficient." Nick Henley, director of Barlow Henley Architects, said: "One aspects of the design has been that the views of the Nothe Forte from the Esplanade and from the Esplanade to Nothe Fort are not disturbed. "Another is that it is in keeping with the buildings nearby. "This master plan is actually more for the massing of the buildings. The detail and the aesthetics of the scheme will be finalised later." The Pavilion development will open to the public tomorrow and run for four weeks.
Dorset Echo: 19.09.06 A DRAFT masterplan for a £100 million redevelopment of Weymouth Pavilion and ferry terminal is poised to go before councillors. Proposals include a new theatre, world heritage and tourist information centres, a 250-berth marina, a new pier, a 150-bed four-star hotel with conference and fitness facilities, a new ferry terminal, 400 underground parking spaces and 200 high quality apartments. Members are due to see the masterplan before the public consultation, when it goes before a special meeting of Weymouth and Portland's environment and conservation committee on October 16. Community regeneration and culture committee colleagues will get a report on the theatre community space, and a ferry terminal report will go to the council's economy and regeneration committee. Environment chairman Coun Geoff Petherick said today: "I think the masterplan is a great opportunity for the town. It will give us a refurbished Pavilion which is very necessary, a heritage centre, a new CCTV suite and it will also enable us to have the harbour repaired by developer Howard Holdings." He said once councillors have agreed the masterplan next month it would go out to consultation in November. Community chairman and Coun David Harris said: "We are looking forward to seeing the masterplan generated by Howard Holdings. "This committee will be paying particular attention to the theatre, meeting room and heritage centre sections of the scheme, which are clearly critical elements. "I believe there is a need for such a development and I am cautiously optimistic this scheme offers hope of achieving it. "It is a complex scheme and we must not forget all the other elements residents will benefit from in time." He said these were hoped to include a safe sea wall and public access to a traffic-free plaza. Members of the public and various user groups are expected to see the masterplan some time in November.
Dorset Echo: 05.05.06 An agreement for the overall project being thrashed out between the council and developers Howard Holdings gives a go-ahead for the company to build the marina provided hydrological studies satisfy the authority that it will have no unacceptable impact on the beach, bay or harbour. Howard's UK managing director Martin Jepson said: "We believe that the marina will add significantly to the dynamics of the site. "It will provide a landmark at the end of the peninsula and we fully understand that there needs to be a reservation about the potential hydrological effects on the beach and bay. "We have already started those studies which we hope will be published well in advance of any planning application." A special meeting of the council's management committee will be held next Friday, May 12, to discuss the whole redevelopment of the Pavilion and ferry terminal site before it goes to full council on May 17. Members will make a final decision on the conditional building agreement and associated lease documents which have been negotiated with Howard Holdings. Key elements of the agreement include the council retaining freehold of the whole site while granting a 199-year lease to Howard Holdings for the commercial development area including a hotel, shops and flats. If councillors back the development agreement then a draft master plan will be produced to go out to public consultation later this summer. Pavilion users will be consulted on designs for the new theatre once more detailed proposals are available and the scheme will be amended in response to public views and an environmental assessment. An application for planning permission is expected to be submitted in early 2007, a start on site is now anticipated in October-November 2007 and the project is expected to be completed by September 2011 at the earliest and by July 2012 as a worst case scenario. Borough councillors will be told that the site's proposed four-star hotel with at least 125 beds should be complete by May2010 at the latest with the theatre finished by June 2011.
Dorset Echo: 04.05.06 TALKS are under way with two major operators for a hotel with a rooftop garden at the Pavilion and ferry terminal site in Weymouth. Members of the Weymouth and Portland Chamber of Commerce of Industry and Tourism heard the latest developments at a meeting last night. Weymouth and Portland Borough Council environmental services director Richard Burgess also told traders that the council was looking at alternative venues such as a factory or circus tent to reduce the impact of the closure of the Pavilion theatre during re-development. It was also revealed that freehold for the entire Pavilion redevelopment site will be retained by the council. The £100 million scheme had led to fears that the site might be sold off to developers Howard Holdings. Mr Burgess said that Howard clearly needed a long lease and would get a 199-year lease on the commercial development area, which would include flats, shops, a 125-bed hotel and other commercial elements. The council will also retain the key access road to the site. Chamber president David Beaman said: "This proposal has been going on for many years and we are now reaching a crucial stage, a stage in which the chamber believes it has an important voice." Howard Holdings was not present at the meeting but will make a presentation to the chamber on May 10. The chamber will draw up a policy statement setting out its view after that. Mr Burgess also dealt with concerns over the fate of space currently filled by the Pavilion Ocean Room, which he said would be lost but its role filled by a smaller community room. He said of the whole project: "Ultimately it will be down to the planning committee to decide what is an acceptable volume of development on the site." He added that benefits to the council included avoided costs such as a new Pavilion roof "the current one leaks like a sieve" refitting, upgraded on-site services and new sheet piling for the ferry terminal. Both sides are locked in legal agreement talks, he said, and a possible deal will include Howard Holdings being entitled to the first 17.5 per cent of profits from the development with everything after split 50-50 with the council. Mr Burgess confirmed that a 125-bed hotel with a rooftop restaurant and function room was still on the cards and that Howard Holdings was talking to two major hotel operators of four-stars and above. Concerns were expressed that the Pavilion Theatre would have to close for 10 months during the redevelopment between about August 2009 to June 2010. Mr Burgess said attempts were being made to reduce that as well as looking at alternative venues. Town centre group chairman David Johnston asked whether public consultation had any power to influence decisions and Mr Burgess replied that if the public didn't like what they saw then planning and environment councillors were unlikely to approve it. He was also asked when a proper view of the scheme would be available and he replied that 3-D drawings would ready for viewing in about three months time. Mr Beaman said that in that case why couldn't the council wait three months to sign a contract, but Mr Burgess questioned whether Howard Holdings would be prepared to wait that long without a contract. He also reassured members that 'checks and balances' were in place for the scheme, which included legal sections meaning that 'if Howard Holdings are not performing we can step in and tell them to get off site'.
Dorset Echo: 27.04.06 The proposals to be discussed by Weymouth and Portland borough councillors next month will include a community room. The move is designed to curb fears the new development would not house a replacement to the Ocean Room. "However, it is far from energy- efficient and is in need of reproofing and re-equipping. This is a fantastic opportunity to upgrade the flat-floor provision in order that the requirements for a modern, attractive and multifunctional community function room are met." He added: "In response to public comment and confusion about this issue, we are delighted to confirm that provision for a replacement space will be included in the redevelopment. We would emphasise that all these proposals will be the subject of a full round of both public and user-group consultation." Full details of the scheme have yet to be agreed but proposed developers Howard Holdings told the council last month it could include: n World heritage and tourist information centres n A 250-berth marina n A new pier n A 150-bed four-star hotel with conference and fitness facilities n A new ferry terminal n 400 underground public car parking spaces n 200 high quality apartments. Howard's development director Martin Jepson said today: "Obviously the amount of development the site will support will have a bearing on the amount of civic development that the commercial development can pay for. However, in response to the council's request that the position on community provision be clarified, I am happy to confirm that our architects are proceeding to incorporate this in the design." Meanwhile the town's traders will meet on Wednesday May 3 to discuss the scheme. Chamber president David Beaman said: "We've called a special general meeting because of the importance of the redevelopment and its likely consequences on the economy of the town." He added that the policy would be presented to the borough council's management committee on May 12 and a meeting of full council on May 17.
Plans to build a new 1,000-seater venue are being evaluated after the development company Howard Holdings announced that its original estimate for the theatre had risen from £7 million to £12.7 million. Weymouth and Portland Borough Council officers and Howard Holdings have drawn up a number of alternative options for the provision of a theatre in the town when the Pavilion and ferry terminal development begins. The council's Community Regeneration and Culture Committee will study a report listing their options at their meeting on Wednesday February 22. The four options are: A new specialist theatre - this was the council's preferred option and would be a 1,000-seater venue with full facilities. It is regarded as the `Rolls Royce' solution. Secondly, there is a basic hall - this approach has not been recommended by the theatre consultants - and thirdly there is a smaller 400-seater theatre, though the report says this would not meet the requirements for staging productions on the current level. The increased costs for the Pavilion are part of an overall increase in the estimated costs for the Pavilion and ferry terminal development, which have soared by £27 million from £80 million to £107 million. The original plans submitted by Howard Holdings included a new theatre, a new 150-berth marina, a 125-room four-star hotel and 130 high quality apartments. Management committee chairman Brian Ellis said: "We have always had the option of building a refurbished theatre rather than a new one since we invited companies to bid for the development, so this option shouldn't come as a surprise. "At the moment the development is on course. "This is a very important project for the borough and we have to make the most of it." Pavilion manager Colin Worth said that even if the theatre was closed for refurbishment there would not be a dramatic effect on the staff. He said: "We have 12 full-time contracted members of staff here and if the theatre were to close then most of them would be redeployed to work within the borough council. "The rest of the staff come in on an `as and when' basis to help us cover the busier times. "On top of this we would still have to retain some staff to continue to arrange and make future bookings for shows. The backstage staff would also have to help set up the new facilities. "Its not my place to say which option I would prefer. I would say that we need a 1,000-seater theatre if we are to attract the big names to Weymouth. Stars won't come to play in a 400-seater venue." |
