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Funding of £3.5m towards a coastal town's redevelopment scheme has been approved.

Weymouth has been promised almost £19.5m by the government in "levelling up" funding.

The money was allocated for new homes and a new leisure-led waterfront complex.

Dorset Council's cabinet agreed to contribute to the scheme, mainly covering the Peninsula and North Quay areas.

The council was told in January the government intended to award the full bid of £19.47m with the local authority required to make a £3.5m contribution.

A council report said the funding would result in upgrades or repairs to harbour walls as well as leisure-led commercial development with 374 market and affordable homes.

Radipole councillor David Gray called on the council to look for long-term prosperity from the money.

“What we need is a vision,” he said.

Mark Roberts, who chairs the council’s harbours advisory board, said he was pleased much of the investment would build on the importance of the harbour as an asset to Weymouth.

About £4m of the money had been earmarked for the New Bond Street and Commercial Road area although Dorset Council is now seeking to switch this to the former Weymouth Bowl site, which is likely to be redeveloped with housing.

The council report concluded that, even with the levelling up grant, redeveloping the area "would not be commercially viable".

Much of the work on the regeneration bid had been done by Weymouth councillor Tony Ferrari who died suddenly last month.

Cabinet members paid tribute to his "fantastic work".

Councillor Simon Gibson, portfolio holder for economic growth, told the meeting: "I will always be mindful of the work he did on behalf of Weymouth, a town he served so well.”

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