BOURNEMOUTH has set itself on a collision course with government by declaring that it has no room for a site for travellers.

The town is being told to find 28 permanent pitches for travellers and 20 "transit" pitches by 2011.

Poole will have to find 35 permanent pitches, Christchurch 33, East Dorset 50, Purbeck 44 and North Dorset 37.

But Bournemouth council's cabinet heard the town would struggle to find sites because of a lack of land in the borough.

Councillors backed a move to reduce the number of transit pitches from 20 to 10. But they also voted to tell the South West Regional Assembly that "even the attainment of this level of provision will be difficult".

The requirement to provide travellers' sites is laid down by the South West Regional Assembly in its Regional Spatial Strategy.

Cllr Ron Whittaker, vice-chairman of the borough's planning board, said he had been contacted by several residents in his ward of Throop and Muscliff who had heard rumours that the travellers' site might be located there and added that it would be "contentious" wherever it was located.

Cllr John Beesley said: "I would like to reassure residents that no specific site has been identified there or anywhere else in the borough."

The meeting also recommended that a letter be sent to the Local Government Association and local MPs expressing concern about the possibility of large numbers of travellers coming over from countries like Bulgaria and Romania.

Speaking afterwards, Cllr Whittaker said: "We have got no suitable land and if we had we would want to build affordable accommodation.

"We are objecting to the allocation of the sites. The number has gone down from 20 to 10 but they still might not accept that.

"They may say we have got to have a greater number. The trouble is wherever they locate it, it will be near residential properties.

"There will be social and economic consequences."

Officers have argued that a reduction in transit pitches could be justified if the pressure caused by unauthorised sites was eased by Dorset County Council establishing permanent pitches.

Unauthorised camps may still take place even if local authorities provided official ones, he added.

Basil Burton, chairman of the National Romany Rights Association, denied that there was no suitable land in the Bournemouth area and said that in 1992 he and an officer from Bournemouth Borough Council identified several suitable sites at locations including Iford and Hengistbury Head.

He added: "Bournemouth don't want any sites at all. But they are no different to Southampton, Poole or anywhere else.

"They have to provide land for accommodation for gypsies."

Residents can still register their views on the issue by filling in a consultation form available from local libraries or by downloading it from the link below