COUNCIL plans to build flats on a public car park were deferred just an hour before a planning hearing yesterday.

The Bournemouth Development Company, a partnership between the council and Morgan Sindall Investments, plans to construct a block of 44 flats on the Durley Road car park in West Cliff.

Several residents and parents from nearby St Michael's School turned up at the planning board to object to the scheme, but were told by chairman David Kelsey that the developer wanted the plan deferred to a later date.

"I am sorry for your journeys here, this has only happened in the last hour," said Cllr Kelsey.

Helen Morgan, a parent at St Michael's, had planned to address the meeting to talk about new council data she had obtained showing that the car generates some £119,000 a year, indicating its popularity.

She said: "This is very frustrating. I am surprised they are allowed to do this at such short notice.

"It is not easy for us working parents to get to things like this."

Ward councillor Nick Rose said such a late deferment was "completely unheard of". However he welcomed the news.

"I am very pleased that the Bournemouth Development Company might be reconsidering," he said.

"I am however very keen that the urgent road safety work that the council has identified in and around St Michael's School is put into place as soon as possible, before some child is seriously injured or killed.

"We do not have to wait, the situation is so serious that the money should come from council funds."

After the meeting, Cllr Kelsey said he felt sympathy for residents but the company had every right to request a deferment.

He said the decision followed his own comments to the developer, in which he had said he was "not satisfied with the situation at this moment in time", and urged them to have a rethink.

Cllr Kelsey said important new data, including a car park usage survey being carried out during the course of the summer, would be available by the time of the next hearing.

Cllr Philip Broadhead, cabinet member for economic growth, said he expected the scheme to be back before planners as early as September.

"I was talking about it earlier today and there were some last minute amendments they were planning to make," he said.

"They just need to resolve a couple of minor issues."

Bournemouth Development Company director Duncan Johnston said: “We feel it is in the best interests of the scheme to take a pause and work through some factual points that have just arisen in the planning process.

"Having looked at all the information to enable councillors to make an informed decision, this is the best course of action.

"We will bring it back to planning board very shortly.”