Planning application updates

AFC Bournemouth Planning Application

AFC Bournemouth have now lodged their appeal against the rejection of planning permission for their planned development to the side of the stadium. Those of you who objected originally will have received letters informing you of the Appeal. We'll be preparing letters of objection for distribution as previously and will deliver these hopefully over the weekend. I'll also ensure that they are e-mailed to everyone once they are ready.


Planning Application – 163 Harewood Avenue

Once piece of news we heard during the quite time in August and early September was that the planning application for demolition of 163 Harewood Avenue and replacement of the building with flats was finally withdrawn. The property has now been sold and we're hopeful that no further applications will be forthcoming.


Planning Application – 1 Littledown Avenue and 1 Thistlebarrow Road

We have heard this week of a new application however, this is to demolish the properties at 1 Littledown Avenue and 1 Thistlbarrow Road and build a block of 14 flats on the site with underground car parking. The situation of the site, the proposed demolition of the two properties and the size of the development are in our opinion unacceptable. The proposal is out of keeping with the other properties in the area and we will be opposing the application. As usual, we will be delivering letters explaining how residents can object and assisting those who wish to object. As usual, I'll e-mail copies of the letters to you once they are ready later this week.

Civic honour for former Bournemouth councillor

Last week I was one of the few Conservative Councillors who voted in favour of ex councillor Adrian Fudge being made an Alderman of the town. For me the situation is very simple. While I may have disagreed fundamentally with Adrian over his policies and more particularly over those issues effecting the ward for which we were both councillors, Littledown and Iford, I could not fault his commitment to the role of councillor either in terms of time or energy. I believe it’s necessary to divide the personal from the political and that is why I voted the way I did and will do so again if the matter comes before the Council.

While I was disappointed that a majority of my colleagues did not see the situation in the same way, I was more disappointed by the fact that opposition members chose to boycott the subsequent Council meeting after the vote had been taken. We are all elected to represent the residents of our wards. They expect us to carry out the role to which they elected us and for which we are paid. What more fundamental duty is there than to attend a meeting of the full Council? The vote was, after all, democratic. I may not have liked the result any more than my Lib Dem and Independent colleagues, however by choosing to leave the chamber they left their electorates disenfranchised and failed fundamentally in their duty to the people who elected them.

There are far more important issues facing the town than whether an ex councillor is made an Alderman. We politicians are left in a poor light by the affair and I would urge my colleagues of all parties to draw a line under it and move on to concentrate on the important issues they were elected to address.

Proposed Yellow Lines – Ovington Avenue

We received confirmation on Friday that our suggestion that further consultation about the installation of yellow lines in Ovington Avenue be undertaken has been accepted by the Council. The proposal was splitting opinion in the road and now a proper consultation will be carried out by the Council prior to any further proposal for yellow lines is put forward.

Telephone mast update

Old Bridge Road Telephone Mast

I'm very pleased to report that the appeal against the Council's rejection of planning permission for the mobile phone mast on the corner of Old Bridge Road, opposite the Iford Bridge pub. Thanks to everyone who wrote to object.


Castle Lane East Telephone Mast

I'm also pleased to report that finally operators trying to site the mast on Castle Lane East outside Tescos have made an application to site it behind the store, where we suggested they should site it all along!

Travellers in King's Park

The clear up has now been completed, including the area of copse which they used as a toilet! Jane has lead on this one and is pushing for a meeting between the Council and Police to understand fully how the incursion happened and more importantly why the police instructed the opening of the park to additional travellers and how we can ensure this doesn’t happen again. We’ll keep you updated on how this progresses, but suffice it to say we’re all angry about the situation, Jane in particular as it was she who was driven at by the travellers in the park when there with her baby son.

Bus petition

Michael has done a great job collecting signatures for the petition against the removal of the number 2 bus from Littledown Avenue, Harewood Avenue and Petersfield Road and asking the council to pursue replacement services with alternative operators. He’s going to present the petition this coming weekend so if you haven’t signed up but would like to then do please let him know direct: Michael.Griffiths@bournemouth.gov.uk