Heritage and Character Study Information

Please Note we are currently awaiting receipt of the final draft version of the study from AECom. As soon as this is received further details will be available via this website.

Major Study Confirms Portland’s Unique Character

As part of the work on the Portland Neighbourhood Plan, a study has helped identify what makes the different parts of the Island special today. On the Town Council’s behalf, AECOM, a leading environmental consultancy, has taken a fresh look at the Portland in 2017. Their Character Assessment Report provides important, up-to-date, evidence to support the planning policies that will go in the Neighbourhood Plan. Government guidelines say neighbourhood plans should develop policies based on an understanding of the defining characteristics of an area. In doing so, policies can ensure that development responds to local character and history, and reflects the identity of local surroundings and materials, while not preventing or discouraging appropriate innovation.

The Character Assessment Report has identified six distinct ‘character areas’ on Portland. It has made recommendations about how development needs to be controlled in the interests of protecting or enhancing their unique character.

Before the Neighbourhood Plan policies are written, the Town Council is giving local people an opportunity to consider the Character Assessment Report and contribute their own thoughts and ideas.

The Portland Character Assessment Report will be on the this website from early April 2017.
It will also be available via Portland Town Council’s website.

The consultation period will run for a whole month period the closing date and further information on how you may register your comments will be shown on the websites.
Alternatively hard copies of the reports and forms to make comments will be available at the following locations during their opening times.

Portland Tophill Library, Straits, Easton, DT5 1HG

Portland Town Council Offices, 52 Easton Street, DT5 1BT

Osprey Leisure Centre, Castletown, DT5 1BD