Southbourne car park flats plan refused after huge backlash

More than 600 residents objected to the scheme which would have led to the removal of a community garden and BCP council selling the 78-space car park to developers.

The Southbourne Crossroads car park had been declared surplus to requirements five years ago – but the planning committee heard that, with Covid and more stay at home holidays, the spaces were now needed more than ever.

During the debate the council was accused of allowing the car park to become run down and neglected. There were also calls for an overall review of the council’s car parking policies.

• Read more: Southbourne residents ask for Crossroads to be put on a heritage list to protect car park

The loss of the parking spaces was among the reasons to reject the scheme along with claims that the flats would be out of character in the area, over-bearing, and would lead to a loss of privacy for some residents in St Catherine’s Road.

The car park at Southbourne Crossroads

BCP planning officers, who had been working with the developers for three years, recommended that the scheme be approved.

Developer Eddie Fitzsimmons from Vivir Estates said that his architect had re-designed the scheme seven times attempting to meet concerns about the use of the site and had substantially reduced the height of some of the blocks – down from four to two-storey.

• Read more: Plan tabled for four blocks of flats on Southbourne car park

He claimed that development was needed and would allow local residents to downsize, freeing their family homes. The company had offered £70,000 towards local affordable housing in lieu of not providing any affordable homes on the site, which they claimed would make the development un-affordable, a view backed by the District Valuer.

The meeting heard from an agent acting for residents that the expected cost of the new flats would be between £725,000 and £900,000, well out of reach of local people on average incomes.

Several residents appeared before the committee to press their case to keep the car park and community gardens, on a designated Site of Nature Conservation between the car park and the roundabout.

The community garden

One resident, Joanna Crutcher from St Catherine’s Road, burst into tears as she told councillors how valued the site was to those living in the area.

Many of the objectors said the loss of the car park would affect surfers, walkers, those using the beach restaurant, sea swimmers and the nearby pilates studio.

“We are really proud of our community and want to make something of it…don’t destroy it for short-term gain,” said Ms Crutcher who had lived in the area for five years.

Ward councillor Malcolm Davies said he remembered the site as unkempt and frequently fly-tipped but said that thanks to the residents the community garden was now a delight.

He said the BCP argument that the car park was not needed was “a total nonsense".