An engineering project causing disruption in Weymouth has been hit by yet more delays – and now it won't be completed until the new year.

The work by Wessex Water at Westham Bridge was supposed to take four months to complete, but the latest setback is resulting in the project taking a whole year.

Unexpected tidal conditions in the marina are hampering the works.

A councillor has expressed his 'disappointment and frustration' that the town will have to live with the disruption for another four months.

The company was initially investing £600,000 in the project, replacing the stormwater outfall at the marina with a new structure, in order to control flows more effectively and 'reduce the impact on the marina environment'.

The firm has taken over much of Westham Bridge with its work compound since the beginning of the year, with many parking spaces on the bridge out of action and pedestrian and cycle access restricted.

The bike shelter had to be removed and a lane has been closed on the busy A354 Westwey Road near the Westham crossroads junction.

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council is being compensated by Wessex Water for the use of council land.

It all started at the end of January when the compound was set up ahead of the main maintenance work.

Wessex Water told the Echo in April that work was progressing well.

However work ground to a halt in May due to "unexpected ground conditions" and the need for detailed investigations. There were fears work could affect the structure of the marina wall and the possible effect on gas and electricity services.

The firm apologised for the disruption caused and thanked the community for their patience.

Work restarted in July, with assurances it would all be completed by October.

The council said it regretted the works were continuing over the summer period.

At the end of August it emerged the work was being hampered by tidal conditions and it wouldn't be finished until mid-November. There were problems with a temporary dam which had been built and had been damaged, and working patterns were having to be changed more than necessary 'to align with the tides'.

Now it's emerged the dam which has been built isn't suitable for requirements because of the tides in the marina so other contingency works have to be carried out.

Westham councillor Mike Byatt said: "It's very disappointing and I share the frustrations felt by residents who've had to put up with this disruption and this unsightly work since January.

"Let's hope this is the final delay we hear about and the work can be completed soon.

"It's a big project but there have been so many delays. It's so frustrating for everyone."

In an update this morning, Cllr Colin Huckle, Briefholder for Transport and Infrastructure at the borough council, said: “We are being compensated for the lost revenue for the car parking spaces that Wessex Water have closed to carry out their works. They will be charged accordingly for the length of time they use it.

"Wessex do have a statutory consent to undertake these essential works and unfortunate that they have run on but it is out of our control.”

'Complex and challenging scheme'

Regarding the latest hold-up, a Wessex Water spokesman said: “Unfortunately this complex project has encountered further problems, with a portable temporary dam at the site found to be unsuitable for the tidal environment within the marina.

“We’ll need to install a new ‘dry’ working area towards the end of October, work which will take approximately two weeks to complete. This further delay means the Radipole outfall improvement project is now expected to finish in January 2019.

“We’re sorry for the continued disruption caused by this essential work to replace the storm water outfall, which will benefit the Weymouth community and environment.”

The spokesman said that work was originally delayed in May to allow the firm to check the structural integrity of the marina wall – it had to be absolutely certain its activities wouldn’t put the wall and utility services at risk. More recently it's had to contend with challenging tidal conditions and damage to the temporary dam.

The spokesman said: "We always try to complete work as quickly as possible but would never compromise on safety. This has been an unusually complex and challenging scheme and we appreciate the Weymouth community’s patience.

"Weymouth and Portland Borough Council is being compensated for use of the land for our works compound."