History

1952 - Lodmoor SSSI notified.

1972 - Nottington Conservation Area designated

1975 - Upwey Conservation Area designated

1983 - Structure Plan for Dorset approved by Secretary of State for the Environment.
WRR is priority 3 at this point Polices cover 1980 - 96

1987 - July 87 - Weymouth Relief Road Stage 1 (Weymouth Way ) - opened.

Oct.87 - Lorton SSSI notified.

Dec.87 - Public Inquiry held to consider development proposals at Lorton (in Lodmoor
Valley) including an 'orange route' single c/w road between Manor Rd Rd/Bt and
Littlemoor.

1988 - April 88 - Public Inquiry held to consider development proposals at Lorton (in
Lodmoor Valley) including single c/w road orange route between Manor Rd Rd/Bt and
Littlemoor.

1989 - June 89 - Secretary of State agreed with Inspector's recommendation not to support application for development.

Autumn 89 - design work recommenced to examine alternative route options

1991 - May 91 - public consulted on three route options - 'purple', orange & brown

Oct.91 - Cooper Partnership prepared Landscape & ecological report on the orange &
brown routes.

Dec.91 - Cooper Partnership concluded that on balance the brown route was preferable. Public support - 65% orange, 17% brown, 15% purple, 3% no view - Statutory Bodies supported the brown route.

1992 - Jan.92 - Brown Route adopted by DCC Planning & Transportation Committee as preferred route.

March 92 - DCC adopted Preston Link at eastern end of Littlemoor Road.

Autumn 92 - Consultants appointed to undertake an Environmental Assessment based on brown route.

1993 - Dorset Structure Plan - Second Alteration - WRR - Priority 2 at this point.

1993 - Upwey Conservation Area extended southwards.

May 93 - Secretary of State for the Environment approved 2nd alteration of Structure
Plan - identifying the WRR.

Oct/Nov 93 - planning application submitted for dual c/w brown route.

1994 - July 94 - Planning permission granted for brown route.

1996 - Jan.96 - CPO & SRO Public Inquiry.

June 1996 Weymouth Relief Road protesters set up Teddy Bear Camp

1997 - CPO & SROs Inspector's report approving Orders.

1998 - OBC submitted to DETR seeking PFI funding support.

Sept 98 - amended OBC submitted to DETR.

1999 - July 99 - new advice from GOSW that no road based projects were being considered by the Treasury.

July 99 - Planning permission for brown route expires.

Nov.99 - Draft LTP out for consultation.

Dec.99 - GOSW settlement letter recommending a comprehensive review of the scheme and downsizing of the scheme.

2000 - Dorset Structure Plan - Replacement WRR Priority 1

2000 - Jan.00 - Local Plan public consultation via Echo.

Feb.00 - LTP - public consultation via Echo.

July 00 - LTP Published & submitted to Government.

13 July 00 - Visit by Keith Hill - Roads Minister.

16 Dec.00 - GOSW settlement letter provisionally accepting major bid for W&Pintegrated transport strategy subject to successful completion of planning and statutory procedures. 82% supported Road Building Solution

2001 - Jan.01 - Draft (First Deposit) Local Plan published.

Mar.01 - Local Plan objections to brown route registered.

June - Aug 01 - Scoping Report for 2nd. Planning Application to consultees for comment.

2002 - Autumn 02 - (Revised Deposit) - Local Plan

2003 - Spring 03 - Change from the Brown Route to the Orange Route. Approved by Dorset County Council.

July 03 - Scheme re-submitted to DfT for Technical Appraisal (Result in December LTP settlement letter).

On 18th December 2003 The Department for Transport gave approval to Dorset county council to build the Weymouth relief road costing ?54.6 million. The county council drew up its' business plan for government approval and commence planning applications. The orange route chosen will go straight through Two Mile coppice which is one of the area's only remaining rare ancient woodlands. Breeding grounds for bats and voles will be destroyed.

Two mile coppice is rich in a variety of trees which includes Pedunculate Oak Quercus, Ash, Field Maple, Hawthorn, Hazel, Gelder Rose, and Holly. Areas under threat if this road were to be built are extensive and include the Dorset Downs, Heaths and Coast AONB and Lorton Valley SSSI (which includes ancient woodland). The claims made about the economic regeneration benefits of the road have been exaggerated and no alternatives to a road have been properly considered by Dorset County Council.

2004 - Feb 04 until May 04- Weymouth & Portland Borough Council - Local Plan Public Inquiry - recommendation by independent inspector for the relief road to be deleted from the plan.

2006 - Planning application re-submitted. Funding provisionally approved (?54M)

2007 - public hearing 2nd March. Planning application meeting t.b.a. Local objectors group formed .
April 5th - DCC awards itself planning permission.
May 5th - Sec State Kelly mysteriously turns down public inquiry.