COUNCIL officers have insisted there was nothing untoward over two local authority planning applications for the same Bournemouth seafront site being listed with different addresses.

BCP Council’s proposed major redevelopment of the former home of Bistro on the Beach is still awaiting a decision.

While this application is going through a full planning application process, including a committee discussion potentially as soon as this month, the council tabled a separate prior approval procedure to demolish the restaurant building.

This streamlined application process was approved back in November, with the land now completely cleared.

Despite being the same site, the redevelopment proposal had an address listed as Solent Beach Complex, Solent Promenade, and the demolition-only application was listed as Bistro On The Beach, Southbourne Promenade.

Bournemouth Echo: Bistro on the Beach was popular with residents and visitorsBistro on the Beach was popular with residents and visitors

Searches for Bistro on the Beach and Southbourne Promenade on the council’s Bournemouth planning portal did not return the major scheme the local authority has submitted The Daily Echo contacted BCP Council planning committee chair Cllr David Kelsey, who raised the matter with officers in the planning department.

In a response to Cllr Kelsey, a senior planning officer said: “Bistro on the Beach is the locally known name for the site, due to the name of the former restaurant but Solent Beach Complex, Southbourne promenade is the official name of the site, which is why that address was used for the planning application.”

As stated above, the application is in fact listed as Solent Promenade.

The officer said there had been “plenty of publicity” of the application.

They added: “I’ve received 20 letters on the application, some in support, some objecting. In my experience, we tend to get a huge volume of representation when there is a deep concern with local residents, where it directly affects them.”

The officer said they did not consider this level of response to a major scheme as “particularly low”.

Bournemouth Echo: The site was cleared last monthThe site was cleared last month

Cllr Kelsey was also told the redevelopment of the site is still a live application, which is not yet determined and will “hopefully” go before committee this month.

Anyone who wants to make comments can do so by emailing planning.bournemouth@bcpcouncil.gov.uk, with these accepted right up until the committee meeting.

The officer added: “Ultimately, Bistro on the Beach is the name of the restaurant whereas Solent Beach Complex is the official name of the site. The site notices have the reference ‘1696’ and this will bring up all the associated applications, and covers both the demolition application (approved) and redevelopment (undetermined).”

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