Southbourne Crossroads car park flats approved on appeal

An application for four blocks of apartments at the Southbourne Crossroads car park has been approved on appeal.

The development would provide 27 apartments with associated parking spaces on the site.

Vivir Estates Ltd launched two appeals against the local authority for a scheme that was refused by the planning committee in March last year and another which was not determined.

• Read more: Renewed plans for Southbourne Crossroads car park met with objections

Both appeals have been granted, seeing the developer secure full planning permission for the council-owned site.

Southbourne Crossroads car park

They will also receive costs from BCP Council in relation to the appeal against the scheme the planning committee refused.

The decision to approve the application comes despite a number of objections to the scheme, a petition signed by more than 1,500 people and criticism from residents and councillors.

Concerns were raised over the loss of public parking spaces, and the effect the proposed development could have on adjacent dwellings and the surrounding area.

• Read more: Developers submit revised plans for Southbourne Crossroads car park

Revised plans for the car park site were submitted on appeal, but these are said to have included changes of a “very minor nature”.

The reasons for the appeal decision were given in a report by planning inspector Benjamin Webb.

He said the Southbourne Crossroads car park sees “very little use” for the “majority of the year”, and described how on his visit to the site, there was only one vehicle using the space. He noted it was used more in the peak tourist season but other parking was available nearby.

He added that Bournemouth Borough Council’s cabinet said the car park was “surplus to requirement” and that it “should be sold” in 2017 and so refusing the scheme on the basis of losing parking spaces would be “unacceptable".

The report also discussed the developments suitability for the site location.

Southbourne Crossroads car park (Picture: David James Architects and Partners Ltd) (Image: David James Architects and Partners Ltd)

Mr Webb said: “The car park is prominently located on the seafront, which is elsewhere predominantly lined by a mix of dwellings and flats.

“Though the proposed contemporary styling would contrast with the some adjacent C19th buildings, it would nonetheless reflect that of numerous existing modern developments located along the seafront.”