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Published: 25 May 2022

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National Lottery Heritage Funding has supported a number of great causes across the country in recent years. We are delighted to see the local museum receive £99,000 from this fund.

It has been a tough time for the Weymouth Museum of late, situated in an area where a considerable amount of renovation work is taking place.

The new funding will enable the Museum to expand its offering, and this means there will be workshops provided by the team. This is positive news, and many people are looking forward to being more hands-on in learning about the local area.

The funds will also assist the Museum in developing their collection, and in working closely with the community. It is hoped that more locals will engage the Museum, but that it will also draw tourists to the area too.

As local estate agents in Weymouth, we believe anything which draws people to the local area is a positive thing. Also, anything which makes the area more vibrant and exciting has to be a positive thing. We are pleased to see Weymouth Museum receive backing of this nature.

There is an opportunity for the Museum to do more

Marcia Headon, chair of the Museum Trust said: “We are extremely grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund for awarding Weymouth Museum this bid thanks to National Lottery players. The funding will enable us to preserve our wonderful collection and to extend the experience of the museum to the local community, as well as visitors. The future of the museum now looks very bright.”

There was disappointment when the proposed sale of Brewers Quay collapsed earlier this year. There is considerable uncertainty as to what will happen with the site, and work is still taking place.

Pop-up museum will help generate interest

There is good news that Weymouth Museum will have a short-term setting in St Thomas Street. This is a pop-up venture and it will display a number of important items from Weymouth’s past. If you have an interest in the social history of the location, this is likely to be a sight well worth seeing.

Cllr Laura Miller, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Customer and Community Services, said; “Dorset has a rich and vibrant history that attracts people from all over the country, and Dorset Council is proud to support the work of everyone at Weymouth Museum. I’m looking forward to seeing how they rise to the challenge of continuing to engage and present their collections to the public while their permanent home is developed over the next couple of years.”

The pop-up shop should be open from May 2022, located at 40a St Thomas Street.

Contact Austin Property Services for all your housing market needs

We know many people have questions and queries right now, and we are here to help as best we can. Please get in touch with Austin Property Services if there is anything, we can assist you with. You can call us on 01305 858470 or you can email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Published: 25 May 2022

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The local housing market must meet the needs of many people and households. At Austin Property Services, we are pleased to serve the local community, and we understand the importance of housing for people of all ages, backgrounds and financial levels.

So, when plans relating to affordable housing in the local area change, we take an interest.

Weymouth needs more homes

The initial plan, agreed in August 2020, included 13 houses and six flats. These properties are scheduled for Roman Road and Spa Road. The initial plan included six affordable units, and these units would have a 30% discount.

However, after a change in developer, the initial application has been updated. The affordable units are set to have a 20% discount.

As you would expect, this hasn’t been well received in many quarters, including amongst local councillors.

Radipole councillor David Gray said; “Councillor Pete Barrow and I have for some time fought against the changes in the development plans. It is a great example of trying to maximise profit at the expense of affordable homes when we all know the issues in Weymouth and Portland for housing.”

The councillor is at pains to admit that affordable housing doesn’t always resolve housing issues, and that there is a need to look at many options in improving the local housing market.

There is a need for a wide range of properties across Weymouth

At Austin Property Services, we are estate agent specialists in Weymouth, and we understand there is a diverse range of needs and expectations for homes in the local market. There is always a need to provide some form of affordable housing, and this is the sort of thing that local councillors should focus on.

The councillor accepts that affordable homes are not always the answer to solving issues regarding housing but says they do offer some help.

David Gray spoke on this matter, by saying; “I acknowledge that the affordable homes scheme is not always necessarily the solution but it does offer a slight relief for people getting on the property ladder. I do understand the need for profit but we need to consider social mobility issues. All we want is for the original planning application to stay because we are desperate for affordable homes.”

The Councillor has received backing from another local councillor, Peter Barrow, and these two are likely to lead objections against new proposals.

There have been discussions in the past, and a company representing the site developers have engaged Dorset Council. The claim is that the developers have “exhausted all other options” before making this application.

Brett Spiller of Chapman Lily Planning spoke on the matter, saying; “The technical challenges presented by the site, combined with a general rise in build costs (materials and labour) has affected the site's overall economic viability. Consequently, the site does not generate suitable incentives for the parties to bring the site forward for development in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework.”

If you want to make an informed decision in the Weymouth housing market, it is best to stay in touch with experts who know the market well. We are local housing market specialists who connect with buyers and vendors each day.

Contact Austin Property Services for all your housing market needs

We know many people have questions and queries right now, and we are here to help as best we can. Please get in touch with Austin Property Services if there is anything, we can assist you with. You can call us on 01305 858470 or you can email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Published: 05 April 2022

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We all know house prices are a national obsession in the United Kingdom. Fluctuations in the property market impact lives, and there is a great deal of interest in how prices are faring.

At Austin Property Services, we are committed to helping you make smart moves in local areas such as Weymouth and Dorchester. We know the local market well, and we stay in touch with what is happening across the country.

If you want to make an informed decision, rely on Austin Property Services.

Average property prices continue to rise

According to the recent Zoopla Price Index, the average price of a UK home is £244,100. The cost of the average house has risen by around £80,000 in the past ten years.

Zoopla highlighted the following key points in their report:

• Property prices increased by 7.8% in the 12 months to end of January 2022
• However, the rate of house price growth might be easing off
• The number of properties placed for sale in January 2022 was 5% higher than the five-year average
• However, the demand for property is still far greater than the supply of homes

Grainne Gilmore, head of research at Zoopla, says: “The sheer level of activity in the market in recent years eroded the stock of homes for sale. But the data indicates that more homes are now coming to the market, as movers and other owners list their properties - and this will create more choice for the many buyers active in the market. However, the imbalance between high demand and supply will take much longer to unwind, and this imbalance will continue to underpin pricing in the coming year.”

Of course, at Austin Property Services, we like to provide you with a local focus in the housing market.

How are house prices faring in Weymouth?

According to Zoopla, there were 728 sales in Weymouth across the last 12 months, and the average sold price for a property in Weymouth in the last 12 months is £287,994.

For the different property types available in Weymouth, the average sold price over the last 12 months are as follows:

• Detached: £414,175
• Semi-detached: £286,458
• Terraced: £248,056
• Flats: £190,265

How are house prices faring in Dorchester?

According to Zoopla, there were 526 sales in Dorchester across the last 12 months, and the average sold price for a property in Weymouth in the last 12 months is £372,512.

For the different property types available in Dorchester, the average sold price over the last 12 months are as follows:

• Detached: £568,569
• Semi-detached: £344,492
• Terraced: £332,040
• Flats: £218,276

We believe there is tremendous value for money on offer in the local area, and if you are looking for any guidance about the local housing market, we can assist you.

Contact Austin Property Services for all your housing market needs

We know many people have questions and queries right now, and we are here to help as best we can. Please get in touch with Austin Property Services if there is anything, we can assist you with. You can call us on 01305 858470 or you can email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Published: 04 March 2022

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A shocking headline figure from a leading property portal suggests Britain has lost nearly nine million bedrooms because of the pandemic!

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