A CONTROVERSIAL housing plan for a Bournemouth car park has been approved on appeal – with the council losing its case to a developer that it holds a stake in.

Bournemouth Development Company (BDC), a continued partnership between BCP Council and Morgan Sindall Investments Ltd, successfully challenged the refusal decision by the now abolished Bournemouth Borough Council to build 44 flats on the site of Durley Road car park.

The application was refused in July 2018 due to fears over the loss of the 119 car parking spaces.

Objections to the development had been raised by hoteliers, residents, parents from nearby St Michael’s Primary School and patients of neighbouring mental health centre Hahnemann House, who all use the car park.

However, planning inspector Steven Rennie sided with BDC and gave permission for the planned six-storey residential block to go ahead.

A report by Mr Rennie said: "The loss of Durley Road car park to the residential development proposed would result in some disruption and inconvenience to local residents, commuters, parents of school children, and visitors to the area.

"However, with the use of the permit system and improvements for safe routes to the local school there should be sufficient capacity at most times in the area.

"The proposal and its effects of parking provision should not, therefore, have any significant impact to the vitality and viability of Bournemouth town centre."

An application for costs by BDC against BCP Council was turned down. The developer had claimed the council lacked evidence and policy support for the refusal decision but Mr Rennie said he found the local authority's refusal and statements from the council to be thorough and reasoned.

Durley Road is one of council-owned car park sites that make up BDC's development plans for the town centre. The Citrus Building on the former Leyton Mount car park, Madeira Road and Berry Court schemes have already been completed, while work is ongoing to build 46 apartments on the St Stephen's Road car park. The firm's £150million mixed-use scheme for the Winter Gardens site was approved in November last year.

A spokesperson for BDC said: “We are pleased that the plans for the Durley Road development have been approved, and will be working with stakeholders on the next steps for this scheme.”

The Daily Echo contacted BCP Council following the appeal outcome but the local authority did not wish to provide a response. Bournemouth central ward councillor Mike Greene also did not want to comment on the matter when approached.