BOURNEMOUTH'S flats explosion is set to continue with civic planners expected to give the go-ahead for six new blocks to be built across the borough.

Despite a wave of objections from local residents, council officers will be recommending on Monday that the planning board approves 105 new flats, subject to conditions.

The board's vice-chairman Cllr Ron Whittaker said: "I can't comment on individual applications but I am very concerned about how many flats schemes are coming up at Monday night's meeting. It's particularly worrying because more than 90 per cent of all new homes built in the borough last year were flats.

"We may be providing a short-term solution by providing roofs over people's heads but we are also creating social problems for future generations. It's a vicious circle.

"What riles me most is the poor design of many high-density developments we're being asked to approve. To fit more flats onto a site, some have no kitchen or bathroom windows. That is something I will be trying to address, along with the lack of open space.

"What quality of life do children have if they are confined to one-bedroom flats?

"We are under pressure from the regional assembly to provide more homes but what we really need is two and three bedroom houses."

Bournemouth West MP Sir John Butterfill said: "There are too many two-bedroom flats being built in the borough.

"We need more family accommodation and gardens for children to play in. Sadly this government seems to be obsessed with flat building."

Bournemouth East MP Tobias Ellwood said: "Until we change the guidelines and give local authorities more planning powers we will see ridiculous applications being put forward, with huge numbers of flats.

"This is the issue which is worrying local residents most but unfortunately it is out of the Town Hall's hands."

He added: "We have contributed massively to the country's housing needs and that pressure should now be removed.

"What worries me most is that when you pack people in like sardines you are sowing the seeds of antisocial behaviour, as well as putting pressure on our roads and infrastructure.

"I'm very fearful of how Bournemouth is going to look in the future."