Weymouth waterside and near-waterside regeneration EqIA

Aims of the strategy

Project proposal: Enable mixed-use redevelopment of key sites in Weymouth and Portland, to provide jobs, housing, skills, and better public access, particularly to the waterfront, whilst ensuring construction minimises disruption to local residents, businesses and existing harbour and beach operations.  

Background to the proposal

Dorset Council is bidding for funds to regenerate strategic disused and under-used sites in Weymouth and Portland. The proposals have previously been described in other plans, including the Weymouth Masterplan and Weymouth Local Plan. The majority of works in the proposed projects form part of the Weymouth Harbour and Esplanade Flood and Coastal Risk Management Scheme Strategic Outline Case (SOC).

Intelligence and Communication 

Data, information, evidence and research used and how it has influenced the decision-making process

List of data sources used to inform the assessment 

• 2019 Mid-year estimates, Office for National Statistics
• 2019 Components of Population Change, Office for National Statistics
• 2019 based Dorset Council Continuity projections, Experimental, Dorset Council

As summarised in Dorset Insight – population – and summarised in Dorset Insight – diversity: https://gi.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/insights/topics/Topic/Population and https://gi.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/insights/Topics/Topic/Diversity

Related EQIAs including Weymouth Harbour and Esplanade Flood and Coastal Risk Management Scheme Strategic Outline Case (SOC).

Dorset has a greater proportion of older people than the UK average, and a much smaller working age population. Data for many of the protected characteristics is not reliable. Dorset has policy objectives to boost the quality of jobs and productivity and improve health by encouraging the use of sustainable and active transport.

The majority of the works proposed by this project – harbour walls, underground utilities diversion etc – are precursors to development where EQIAs will have much more potential to impact proposals for the buildings, land use, and public realm improvements that will follow.

Is further information needed to help inform this proposal?

At this stage, no. It does not withdraw or reduce any Dorset Council service, nor alter any Council policy, strategy or procedure. It is designed to provide work and housing opportunities and improve the public realm. Individual elements of the project will need to be assessed, predominantly through the planning process, to ensure they produce either positive or neutral effects on people with protected characteristics.

Further stakeholder engagement with potential site users/residents/businesses will need to take place as well as formal consultation. This will be carried out during more detailed work on any future developments and through the planning process 

Engagement or consultation that has taken place as part of this EqIA

There has been limited consultation on the proposal as a whole but significant consultation previously on individual elements, such as the peninsula redevelopment engagement and the North Quay redevelopment engagement.

Feedback

Consultations have been published on our website:

Peninsula development engagement

North Quay and Weymouth Bowl engagement

Assessment

This policy, strategy, project or service does not require an EqIA because it does not withdraw or reduce any Dorset Council service, nor alter any Council policy, strategy, or procedure. It is designed to provide work and housing opportunities and improve the public realm. Individual elements of the project will need to be assessed, predominantly through the planning process, as more detailed plans are developed to ensure they produce either positive or neutral effects on people with protected characteristics.

Name: John Bird

Job Title: European Policy and Funding Officer

Date: 8 June 2021 

EqIA Sign Off  

Equality Lead: Susan Ward-Rice

Date: 9 June 2021  

Second sign off: Becky Forrester

Date: 9 June 2021