PLANS for a new self-storage warehouse on the edge of Bournemouth have been unanimously approved by councillors.

Lok’nStore has been granted permission to build a new five-storey on the land between Tesco and Tringham House off Castle Lane East.

Despite admitting “disappointment” that the business would only employee five people, members of BCP Council’s planning committee agreed to approve the scheme.

The firm, which runs dozens of facilities across the country, including in Poole, submitted its application to build on the site in August last year.

It said storage units were an “essential aspect of modern living”, particularly in higher density urban areas.

A previous application was refused by Bournemouth council in 2018 over concerns about the scale of the proposed building.

Ward councillor Lawrence Williams said the new plans had still not overcome those issues and lodged an objection, prompting a decision on the scheme to be left with BCP Council’s planning committee.

But, in a report to councillors, planning officer Peter Burridge said the “merits of the scheme” outweighed any harm and recommended it be approved.

“The application seeks full planning permission for a storage use which is acceptable in principle on a site that has long been vacant,” he said.  “The proposals in their revised form are acceptable and policy compliant.”

His position was backed by the committee at its meeting on Thursday, despite councillors saying they were “disappointed” the site would not be used in a way that would create more jobs.

Councillor Toby Johnson proposed that permission for the development be granted and his move was backed unanimously by the rest of the committee.

“It won’t even clear the treeline in terms of views from Castle Lane and the only real problems with it are ones we can’t deal with here,” he said. “I think any strong reason for its refusal just wouldn’t be a planning matter and on its merits this should be granted.”

Councillor Malcolm Davies, a member of Bournemouth council’s planning committee when the previous application was refused, said the scheme was “much better”, despite it only creating five jobs.