Play park plans to proceed in teeth of golfers' opposition

The council is pressing ahead with its proposals to site a new play area in Queen’s Park car park, saying that a quality playground with toilets, cafe and parking will attract residents from all over town.

But the application is sure to attract a large number of protests from golfers, who want the proposed park moved to an adjacent field instead. They are unhappy that building a park in the car park will reduce the number of available spaces and they claim it could compromise children’s safety.

Rod Thomson, Queen’s Park resident and member of the golf club, said: “The council has not listened to anything we have said, they are simply not interested in talking to us about this issue.

“We have collected more than 300 signatures from people unhappy about these plans – who are they to ride roughshod over public opinion?

“Most people assume the play area is to be built on the adjacent field, which would make perfect sense. When they realise it is actually going in front of the pavilion they can’t believe it, it is just a ridiculous idea.”

Bournemouth council said it has carried out two rounds of consultation on the plans. It said there is a need for more play facilities in the Queens Park area and that this site is ideal because of the toilets and cafe at the pavilion.

Information provided with the planning application states: “Reaction to the proposals has been mixed, with many positive responses expressed at the proposed new facility in the area, and negative responses largely based around the provision of play facility in such close proximity to an existing golf club, and the perception that a new playground will have a negative impact on the club and its existing and future users.”

Council officers have also monitored the use of the 148-space car park and found that occupancy generally ranged from 44 to 68 cars except on AFC Bournemouth matchdays, when the car park was virtually full.