Travis Perkins site could be built on Boscombe coal yard

The chain bought the land off Ashley Road – which, in 2018, was approved for redevelopment into dozens of homes – as part of a £9 million move from its “heavily constrained” Windham Road site.

It said the former coal yard was an “idea location” for its new branch and said it would not lead to the closure of its Winton outlet for at least “two or three years”.

Described as “the backside of the moon” by a former councillor, the land has been mostly unused since the last business closed more than 20 years ago.

In early 2018 it was taken over by Occupy Homeless Sanctuary before plans to build 60 homes were unanimously approved by Bournemouth council in September of that year.

The now-abolished council had allocated the three-acre site for employment purposes but councillors were told there had been a lack of interest from businesses.

Developer Brightmark never pursued its permission build the homes due to concerns the development was “not viable” financially.

And now Travis Perkins has applied to BCP Council to build a new branch on the land, to allow the relocation of its Windham Road outlet.

“The Windham Road site is heavily constrained and poses major operational issues for the business,” a statement submitted with its plans says.

“Travis Perkins have been looking for a relocation site for some time but owing to limited site availability this has been very difficult to secure.

“Ashley Road provides Travis Perkins with an ideal location in which to develop a new purpose-built builders’ merchant branch.”

It adds that this would not lead to the closure of its outlet in Jameson Road in Winton but that this position would be “reviewed” in the coming years.

The firm said the project represented a £9 million investment in the area and would create 25 extra jobs.

The planning application was submitted at the end of January and will be considered by council planning officers over the coming months.