23rd February 2012

PORTLAND: Olympic village handover

By Harry Walton

OLYMPIC bosses have officially taken temporary possession of the Portland Olympic village for sailing athletes.

The Osprey Quay development will host 700 athletes and 550 officials during the Olympic Games with about half that number using the accommodation during the Paralympic Games.

During the Games each house will host around eight athletes and have all facilities except a kitchen.

Athletes will eat in a temporary dining hall which will be constructed on the site and have a social area in the new Chesil Cove Foundation School which LOCOG will take temporary ownership of in May.

Weymouth and Portland Mayor Councillor Graham Winter joined LOCOG deputy chairman Sir Keith Mills who had travelled to Dorset to accept the village from site developer ZeroC director Kim Slowe.

Mr Slowe welcomed dignitaries and guests and said: “This has given quite a legacy for Portland. All the homes will hit the market after the Olympics and some have been sold already.”

Mr Winter said: “It is quite an historical moment because suddenly you realise that the Olympics are going to happen.

“I think the village is beautiful. The standard of accommodation is very high and will provide a fitting village for the sailing athletes.

“Once the Olympics are over there will be a fine legacy with the homes, about a quarter of which will be affordable housing.”

Sir Keith said: “In a few months hundreds of athletes will be descending here and it will be a really buzzy hubbly place.

“I think the athletes will be over the moon when they see what we have provided here.”

He also highlighted legacy and said: “Weymouth and Portland will be left with some wonderful assets for the future.”

It would put the borough “centre stage”, he said, adding that he thought it was a great idea that some of the roads on the development might be named after medal winners.

Among guests was Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy chief executive John Tweed who said: “I think the village is fantastic.

“It will be great accommodation for the athletes and it will be a substantial legacy afterwards because many of the homes will become affordable housing. It is a true success story which will be a great asset to Portland.”

PICTURE 1: Kim Slowe from developers ZeroC (right) joins LOCOG deputy chairman Sir Keith Mills to handover the the Olympic village on Portland

PICTURE 2: ‘WONDERFUL ASSETS FOR THE FUTURE’ The homes will be sold, with about a quarter becoming affordable housing after the Games