Weymouth North Quay council offices demolition refused

Staff moved from the North Quay site (pictured) to smaller offices in the town centre in April 2016

Plans to demolish a former council office building which has been empty for three-and-a-half years have been thrown out by councillors.

North Quay, the former offices of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, had been due to make way for homes.

The authority said it was a "key part" of the town's regeneration masterplan.

But the Dorset Council area planning committee said it needed to adhere to climate emergency measures by considering options to reuse the block.

In 2017, the £4.5m sale of the to developer Acorn fell through after the borough council refused permission to turn the harbour-side block into 56 flats.

Dorset Council, which replaced the district council in April, had applied for a £2.5m Homes England grant towards the £3m cost of demolition and the creation of a temporary car park which was expected to be complete by spring 2020.

But councillors raised concerns about the cost to taxpayers when there was no plan of what would replace the building and cited national planning guidance to convert older buildings where possible.

The district council had previously said it was spending about £10,000 a month maintaining the empty building.