PLANS to open a European grocery store in Boscombe have attracted strong opposition – including from police – over anti-social behaviour fears.

An application to convert the vacant shop building at 524-528 Christchurch Road was submitted last month with a proposal to offer goods which are “not readily available” in other stores in the area.

The proposal is set to go before Bournemouth council’s licensing committee on Tuesday where a decision will be made.

The application says: “The premises will operate as a licensed general store aimed towards the eastern European community in Boscombe and surrounding area.

“The premises aims to provide a service that is different in style to other convenience stores in the Boscombe area, offering produce not readily available in these shops.

“In addition to British produce there will be food and drinks from countries such as Lithuania, Slovenia and Latvia.”

The shop would also have a delicatessen counter and sell fruit and vegetables under the proposal.

“The applicant is fully aware of the problems associated with this area and plans to stay open no later than 9pm as he has no wish to be involved in or add to the problems associated with this area’s late night economy,” the application adds.

However, 32 people living nearby have been joined by Dorset Police in objecting to the plans, raising concerns that a licence to sell alcohol until 9pm would be “detrimental” to the aims of the cumulative impact area in Boscombe.

“We already suffer noise nuisance and anti-social behaviour at all hours of the day and night,” one letter says.

“We have endured this inconvenience since 2003 when the licensing legislation was first amended and we feel it is totally unacceptable to add to an already detrimental and stressed area where alcohol is easily available.”

In a letter, Dorset Police licensing officer, Louise Busfield, said that the “concentration of licensed premises” within the area – which has eight licensed shops – was causing anti-social behaviour and crime and disorder.

“Dorset Police are of the view that the applicant’s operating schedule has failed to demonstrate that there will be no negative cumulative impact on one or more of the licensing objectives and, further, that they have failed to rebut the presumption of refusal,” the letter reads.