SOUTHBOURNE residents are putting up a fight to save their beloved community garden and clifftop car park from developers who are planning to build blocks of flats in its place.

The community of Southbourne is outraged by the plans submitted by Vivir Estates Ltd, which they say would ‘benefit out of towners’.

If approved, the plans would provide four blocks of flats up to four-storeys tall housing 24 two-bed and three one-bed apartments.

Robin Jessop, resident and campaigner, said: “The development will see investment opportunities for out of towners and gentrification doesn’t actually really benefit the local community.

“These will be second homes and not for people who actually need housing.”

Southbourne resident Clive Barnett said: “I live in a block of 20 flats and there are now only six permanent residents, the rest have been bought off by AirBnb investors and second home owners.

“These 27 flats will be snapped up by exactly the same people.”

The existing car park has 75 spaces and the application proposes 29 spaces for residents in the form of undercroft car parking – underneath the housing.

Mr Barnett said: “Southbourne needs more parking, not less - especially during the peak periods.”

East Southbourne and Tuckton Ward Councillor, Eddie Coope said: “It would be a great loss to the community.

“With the improving businesses here there’s very little space - say if you’re going to the hairdressers, where are you going to park?

“If this goes, during the summer with the overload of cars and visitors we have, all the sideroads are going to be chock-a-block which they’ve all complained about during this last summer.

“There’s no room at all.”

Community campaigners have organised for a number of private surveys to be carried out, most recently they have raised £2,000 to carry out a light survey as they fear the development will block out sunlight to the Victorian terraces and pilates studio.

Fundraising organiser Jo Crutcher said: “It’s going to ruin the community.

“The proposals will massively impact everybody’s quality of life - I know nobody owns a view but the flats will be 8-metres from other buildings and it’s just going to be right on top of each other.

“The buildings that are already here will be living in shadow and that’s not good for damp or anyone’s wellbeing.”

Owners of Shore Pilates on St Catherine’s Road have said they face the prospect of having to evacuate their property if the building works go ahead.

Lauren Arredia from Shore Pilates said: “We have 2/300 clients who come for the tranquil view and the quiet, untouched area that this is but we won’t be able to stay when they’re piling in foundations.

“What are we going to do? Where are people going to park? They can’t come and relax.

“All of the parking, the sound, the dust I mean we’ll have to evacuate for at least a year and where will we go?

“It will affect all of us, everyone that lives here will be impacted too - how do you live with that?”

Another key fear for residents and campaigners is the loss of natural habitat and green space as Vivir Estates Ltd wants to make use of areas of planted gardens at both ends of the car park to deliver the flats.

Resident and community gardener Mary said: “They gave the community garden to the community years ago. It’s a lovely space and if it was given to us then why should they take it away?

“No one gives us funding for any of this, we all do it because we love it.”

Concerned resident and historian Francis Owtram said: “Under this proposal they want to build a three-storey block of flats in place of the community garden and it really does feel like a slap in the face to all that’s been said about community.”