A SECOND planning application has been submitted for a controversial temporary stopping site for travellers in Poole.

Around 10 days after Borough of Poole put in an application for 12 pitches on land at Marshes End, Creekmoor, the council is now applying for a site on land north of the B&Q car park on Broadstone Way.

The application has been submitted by Borough of Poole’s environmental and consumer protection services and is for four pitches.

Part of the Oakdale site is owned by Dorset County Council, whose permission is being sought, and vehicle access will be directly from Broadstone Way via a new, wider entrance protected by security gates, with a new perimeter fence.

“We appreciate local residents may have some concerns and would encourage everyone to submit any comments about the planning application to the planning department,” said Peter Haikin, regulatory services manager, Borough of Poole.

If approved, the local authority will be able to use the site for a temporary period between Good Friday and September 15 and travellers will not be directed to the site after September 1.

It will remain closed for the rest of the year.

So far the first application has attracted around 26 comments from residents, many complaining of a lack of public consultation, safety, environmental impact and the visual effect on a main gateway into the town.

However in a letter to the Daily Echo, Martyn Underhill, Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, supported the borough in attempting to provide temporary transit sites.

“Whilst the actual location of the sites within the Borough of Poole has to be the responsibility of the councillors and the public, I will support any local authority that is trying to find a way to end last year’s ‘stand off’ and, along the way, increase police powers to deal with any unauthorised sites,” he said.

Residents can give their views on the Oakdale application, APP/14/0171, which can be viewed at boroughofpoole.com /planningapplications and there is due to be a public exhibition of the plans.

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