DEVELOPERS behind proposals to build hundreds of homes on former green belt land north of Bearwood say the latest delay in the planning process will "further slow the provision of essential new houses for local families".

In March this year BCP Council's planning committee unanimously backed proposals for Canford Park, granting the scheme to bring 695 new homes, a 60-bed care home, community hub and £10.6 million in Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and Section 106 payments, outline planning permission.

But now, developers have been left frustrated, as the application has gone back to BCP Council's planning committee.

A statement released on behalf of developer WH White Limited said: "It is understood that this relates to the location of a small, mainly subterranean, water pumping station, which is considered acceptable by BCP Council planning officers but was not specifically highlighted to members of the planning committee in March.

"In the interest of openness and transparency in the decision-making process, the planning application will therefore be presented back to the committee on August 12 to provide clarification.

"The delay to the issue of planning permission will further slow the provision of essential new houses for local families, including 40 per cent affordable homes, at a time when the shortfall of over 5,000 homes to BCP’s housing target has been widely reported.

"Ongoing delays and overall under-delivery of new homes across BCP will deny local families the ability to remain in the area and prevent many young people from stepping onto the housing ladder."

Taylor Wimpey, which will be building Canford Park, is "keen to move forward" with the project, the statement said.

The scheme, submitted in early 2019, attracted more than 300 letters of objection.

Among the objectors is residents’ group Bearwood Action Group and the Purbeck and Poole branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England.

Around 80 per cent of the site had been designated as green belt until its inclusion.

As part of the mitigation of the development, it also includes plans to double the size of the Canford Park Sang.

The item holding up the project – which is on the agenda for BCP Council's planning committee on August 12 – concerns permission to demolish no 94 Magna Road, to construct primary access roads to 'allow construction of primary surface and foul water infrastructure'. The officer's recommendation is to grant permission.

Explaining why the item needs to be re-examined, a document to committee members stated: "Subsequently it became apparent that some comments from the Public Rights of Way team had not been drawn to the attention of the committee, and in addition some further clarification in respect of the impact on the green belt would be appropriate to ensure that the committee was able to take all relevant matters into account when making a decision.

"The report has been amended to provide further clarification to the assessment of the proposed siting of the foul water pumping station in the green belt to the north of the Stour Valley Way."