BOROUGH planners have rejected the council's own scheme to build on a public car park.

At a meeting on Monday, Bournemouth planning board members voted unanimously against the proposal to build a six storey block of 44 flats on the Durley Road car park.

While several members cited their concerns over a lack of parking in the area, the scheme could not be rejected for this reason as the authority has already designated the car park as a site for development.

Instead, members ruled that replacement parking should be provided in advance, and that the proposed "contemporary" design was out of keeping with the West Cliff conservation area.

As well as building on the existing 119 space car park, the application had included only 41 spaces for the new flats.

Parents from nearby St Michael's School were among those most incensed at the scheme.

One, Helen Morgan, told the board: "The safety of our children will be seriously compromised if this development goes ahead."

She said she had obtained council figures showing revenue raised from the car park had nearly doubled in the past five years, indicating its popularity.

Ward councillors Rae Stollard and Nick Rose also spoke against the plans. "Where is the car parking for visitors, or even themselves (residents), many people have two cars," Cllr Stollard said.

Cllr Rose said the idea that the proposed flats would be more attractive than the existing site was "completely laughable".

"The council talks about sustainability and getting everyone to walk children to school. Fine, but most people in the real world drive these days."

The board also heard about parking chaos in the area on Sunday, which saw cars parked on grass verges around the Durley roundabout and West Overcliff Drive.

The scheme, which had 12 one-bed, 30 two-bed and two three-bed flats, was put forward by the Bournemouth Development Company, a council partnership with Morgan Sindall Investments.

Members were critical of the design, Cllr Lynda Price comparing it with "pressed cardboard".

She added: "There are 44 flats and 41 spaces, there is already a deficit without talking about parents."

Cllr Laurence Fear called the design a "depressing, dull box".

Board chairman David Kelsey said the scheme was "replacing one car park with another car park with 41 spaces and sticking an ugly building in it".

He said extra spaces promised at the nearby West Hill car park should be in place before any development on the Durley Road site, adding: "I would hope anyone with any common sense would see that, I would expect the experts to see that as well."