PLANS to store shipping containers in a residential area have been blocked by councillors.

Bournemouth's planning board heard on Monday that applicant Mr Viney had already placed the containers on the site in Arnewood Road without planning permission.

A neighbour in a flat next to the compound, Jemima Moran, complained that the containers were blocking light into and views from her garden, and that youths were climbing on them and peering into her home.

However, Mr Viney told the board his proposed use of the industrial site was the least disruptive.

"I have owned the site since 1999, for nearly 20 years," he said. "It has always been a hard surfaced industrial site.

"I am friendly with a lot of people who live around here, I didn't want it to annoy anybody. I thought it was the best option."

He said he had previously used the site to service cars, but the containers had been in place for "nearly five years" without complaint.

Mr Viney had applied to retain the containers on the site and erect a timber fence around them, with a metal roof, to prevent anyone climbing on them.

His bid was backed by ward councillor Chris Mayne, who said: "Overall I felt other options for the site could be worse for the person in the ground floor flat. He could put houses in maybe, subject to planning permission. They would be permanent."

However fellow ward councillor Allister Russell told the board he was "appalled" at the neighbour's lack of privacy. "I wouldn't want to sit in my house with people peering in," he said.

Board chairman David Kelsey said he had visited the site and the containers were "quite visible" from neighbouring gardens.

"Two people live there, that is what they are going to see. My personal opinion is that I don't want to sit in the back garden and look at those containers."

In correspondence to the board, Ms Moran had said: "Being as high as they are, 2.6m, it has blocked out the limited light and sun I used to get in my small garden and into my flat.

"It really is an eyesore and I'm sure nobody would like to look out of their lounge window to see these ugly green massive shipping containers as I am now forced to."

Members voted unanimously to reject the application.