SOME 300 car parking spaces are now going to be lost after councillors unanimously voted to build on it. 

Permission has been given to turn Hawkwood Road car park in Boscombe into a major new development for the town. 

It includes the applicant BCP Council building 68 flats, a medical and community centres and retail kiosks. 

But with that, just 51 car parking spaces will be left – a loss of 377 parking spaces, as the area would be built over. 

Bournemouth Echo: Hawkwood Road car park. Picture: Lauren Joy

Bournemouth Echo: Block A Boscombe

Poole councillor and planning committee chair Marion Le Poidevin told a planning meeting the spaces at the Boscombe car park are “not needed”. 

Ward councillor for Boscombe East George Farquhar asked whether the correct surveys had been done so the loss of parking space wouldn’t be missed during peak times.

Read more: BCP Council forced to pay £23k to property developer

He added there are many people who don’t like multi-storey car parks, such as at the Sovereign centre, and want flat car parks and that Kings Park is about a 20-minute walk away for shoppers. 

A BCP planning officer said the demand for the loss of 377 parking spaces “can be met using the remaining spaces within the development site and the Sovereign centre”. 

Cllr Le Poidevin said she visited the car park one Sunday afternoon and said it was “very empty” and was surprised at how big it is. 

Bournemouth Echo: Marion Le Poidevin Marion Le Poidevin

She said: “The parking numbers is a slight concern to go from nearly 400 down to 50, but from what I've seen 300-odd are not needed so hopefully this will work.” 

“The mix of housing is much better to most the proposals we get asked to look at... to see a predominance of three bed flats is a great bonus and very much needed,” she added. 

Martha Covell, programme manager Bournemouth Towns Fund, said the council has an “ambitious” vision for Boscombe to make it “connected, diverse, healthy and safe”. 

As reported, a number of residents had written in to the council to say it would cause “mayhem” if the car park spaces were to be lost to the development. 

They pointed out the car park “often looks full in the summer” and during events at the O2 theatre. 

But councillors at the meeting on Thursday, April 18, elected unanimously to pass through the major scheme involving 40 per cent affordable homes. 

Approval was given on the condition CCTV was added to the site and there was space for “non-standard” bicycles such as cargo bikes.