A consultation on a proposed buffer zone outside Bournemouth's abortion clinic will go ahead, BCP Council confirmed to supporters.

Campaign group Sister Support's petition calling for the measure to protect women accessing healthcare collected more than 4,000 signatures recently.

Sister Supporter say the Bournemouth abortion clinic in Ophir Road run by BPAS, is one of the most targeted clinics in the country by anti-abortion groups.

They have been calling for the council to help protect women against harassment and abuse by anti-choice protestors for months.

Read more: Bournemouth abortion clinic buffer zone: 4,000 people sign petition

Buffer zones are safe spaces outside abortion clinics, which ensure that those who wish to access their legal right to abortion healthcare can do so without interference or judgement.

At a meeting of BCP full council last night, spokesperson Jess Bone told councillors she was pleased to learn there would be a consultation on the different options available.

"My hope is that this will not only protect women accessing the clinic, but it will also  ensure that people living near the clinic no longer have to witness harassment on a  daily basis", she said.

"The BPAS clinic provides safe abortions for any women or pregnant person who  decides this is the best option for their lives and their bodies. This is a completely legal service, performed under strict NHS supervision.

Read more: Council to address petition for abortion clinic buffer zone

"No different from a GP surgery or a dentist. And yet the clinic has been subjected to decades of grotesque and abusive behaviour by anti-abortion hate groups. These stories date back some 40 years."

She added: "Since 2017, the clinic staff gathered more than 500 impact statements from patients who have suffered harassment from anti-abortion groups.

"To be accessing healthcare while a group insists on witnessing your arrival, denying your privacy, praying for your soul and your pregnancy, attempting to dissuade you from having an abortion, handing you and your companion leaflets full of medical misinformation, is incredibly distressing.

"The more concerning activity includes referring  to patients as murderers and following staff to their cars. Shamed, intimidated, guilty,  traumatised - these are words that crop up time and time again in the impact statements gathered by the clinic.

"We wouldn’t tolerate this obscene behaviour outside Royal Bournemouth Hospital. So we all have to ask ourselves, what makes this any different?"

Cllr Bobbie Dove, portfolio holder for community safety, said: “Since being confirmed as portfolio holder for Community Safety I have worked closely with our Anti-Social Behaviour team to thoroughly review the evidence and routes available to resolve community concerns relating to the Bournemouth BPAS Clinic.

“Careful consideration of all these options has been taken and I have recommended the council undertake a public consultation to gather views on the introduction of a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) for the vicinity immediately around the clinic.

“The community will be consulted on three different options and no PSPO will be put in place until the outcome of the consultation is known.

“We are proposing the public consultation commences on 20 July and runs for 6 weeks, closing on 31 August 2022. Following the consultation, we will review the results and a further cabinet decision on how to proceed will be expected in the early autumn.”

Little debate was heard in the council chamber by members on this matter to avoid any pre-prejudice to the consultation.