RESIDENTS of an affluent Bournemouth postcode have slammed plans to build 10 new properties close to the seafront.

Planners at Bayview Developments Ltd hope to get the green light to demolish existing properties at 130 Alumhurst Road and 4 Sandbourne Road, Alum Chine, and build five family homes and five flats on the site.

However, the application has sparked objections from those living nearby.

Paul Scott, who lives in Alumhurst Road, said the area has "suffered" in the past decade due to extensive works.

"Alumhurst Road is the only road that leads directly from Westbourne and Bournemouth to the beaches at Alum Chine," he said.

"Consequently, it is already particularly congested, which is compounded during the summer months with visitors.

"The area has already been extensively redeveloped and in my view as a resident by too much.

"Continued redevelopment will only exasperate an untenable position."

He said individual homes, hotels and period housing in the area has already been lost to new builds and argued that it could set a "dangerous precedent".

"I feel that it is totally unacceptable to permit this development," he said.

"If this development is permitted it will cause further erosion to the building type, structure, design and history of the area."

James Luby, who also lives in the road, said the plans "represent overdevelopment of the site with a massive increase in living units from two to 10".

"It will put even greater pressure on parking in the area, which is almost non-existent during the summer period," he added.

Neighbour Peter Richinson said: "This could allow owners of other similar-sized plots in the area to pursue similar highly dense 'micro-estate'- style development and completely transform for the worse the population density, noise levels and overall aesthetic of this part of Alum Chine."

Councillor Nick Rose, who lives in nearby Beaulieu Road, said the proposed development is "far too large".

"This would increase the amount of traffic in the area five-fold, and increase the number of parked cars on the road by a similar amount, in an area where parking is already restricted in the winter months, let alone the summer months," he said.

"The area of Alum Chine is already highly densely populated and I fear that this development will only increase the density, particularly in this specific conservation area where there are historically large family homes."

A spokesperson from Bayview said developers have spoken to planners and neighbours.

"We are going for a traditional style of home that will be in keeping with the development of the West Cliff area," he said.

"The family homes will resemble cottages."