DJ Property, has applied to Weymouth and Portland Borough Council for planning consent to convert the former ‘Sharkys’ play centre building on Custom House Quay into a top quality restaurant and five, superb, warehouse style apartments on the upper floors, each with an internal parking space at the rear of the ground floor.
The proposed scheme adopts the building’s original name of ‘Deheers Warehouse’ and is a unique opportunity to return an iconic Weymouth building to its former glory. The building is located facing directly onto the widest part of the outer harbour, one of the jewels in Weymouth’s crown.
The building’s last use was as a children’s play centre and cafeteria but this essentially weekend and seasonal business proved unsustainable due to a number of economic factors, notably increased local parking charges, an increase in Business Rates and escalating insurance costs. The building has been vacant since February 2017.
DJ Property considers that the future sustainability and prosperity of the harbour side and waterfront areas of the town centre depends on regeneration projects delivering new and converted homes allied to food and beverage leisure uses. Larger leisure activity uses need to be located in more accessible parts of the Borough on sites where the development and maintenance costs can ensure they remain financially viable. Mickey Jones, Chief Executive of DJ Property commented “This is one of the most handsome buildings on the harbour side. Successful delivery of this project will be a great boost to the town and it gives me great pride to return one of Weymouth’s best buildings to its former glory”.
The details of the Full Planning and Listed Building Consent applications are set out in a Design and Access Statement incorporating a Heritage Statement and Flood Risk Assessment. This contends that the proposals are consistent with Government and Local Planning Authority policy aims and offer clear economic and community benefits:
• A commercial use with active ground floor and forecourt frontage
• Employment and supply chain opportunities
• A new restaurant facility adding to the choice available to residents and visitors
• Homes in the town centre that will make a positive contribution to the community by bringing in new stakeholders and additional household spending
• By enhancing the appearance of the building and restoring it to beneficial use, its’ longer term protection will be secured – the proposals therefore make a positive contribution to the Conservation Area.
The substantial investment in the Deheers project proposed by DJ Property represents an opportunity for Weymouth and Portland Borough Council to secure the future of this Heritage Asset and enable the delivery of new homes and a restaurant unit as part of a sensitive, high quality and viable conversion. The application, if approved, will deliver a real boost to the harbour side community and help the Council in its aim to regenerate the locality and attract more investment.
DJ Property has a long and successful track record in development and asset management. The Deheers project aims to build on the recent successful delivery of the Company’s Oxford Court, Link Park, Egdon Hall, Zone Fitness and other employment and leisure projects with more schemes being planned. The Full Planning and Listed Building Applications have now been acknowledged by WPBC (WP/18/00608/FUL and WP/18/00609LBC) and are pending registration before consultation commences.
Anyone interested in finding out more about Commercial Property in South Dorset, Granby Industrial Estate, or Link Park should contact Mickey Jones via the website at www.djproperty.com
To interview Mickey Jones, Chief Executive of DJ Property, please contact Julie Cleaver at Popcorn Marketing 01305 774629 or email [email protected]
DJ Property leases industrial, retail, office, leisure, and storage properties in South Dorset. DJ Property wholly owns and manages all of its properties. DJ Property is trusted to deliver long-term, flexible business properties to meet customer demand. Follow Mickey on Twitter at MickeyJonesDJP
