TRAFFIC congestion along the Wallisdown Road corridor will increase significantly if the proposed Talbot Heath development gets nodded through by Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles, a traffic expert warns.

Traffic planner Michael Carter, speaking on behalf of Bournemouth Borough Council, gave evidence at the Talbot Heath planning inquiry yesterday.

This reconvened inquiry into the scheme, called in by the Secretary of State, is taking place at Poole’s Civic Centre.

Due to finish on October 7, it has focused on the Borough of Poole-approved plan for a sprawling 378 home and 450 student unit development on heath and farmland bordering Bournemouth and Poole.

The Talbot Village Trust is the charitable organisation behind the bid, which has already been agreed by Borough of Poole planners.

Giving evidence, Mr Carter said: “The risk of queuing is likely to have been underestimated in Wallisdown Road.

“The Wallisdown corridor is already congested and if the scheme goes ahead in its current format additional traffic will be added to it.

“An average of 7.5 per cent of additional traffic will be added by the proposed development.

“In my opinion the addition of this additional traffic will lead to roads that are already over capacity.”

He added: “It will produce increased delays to the detriment of public transport and road users.”

Bournemouth council, Natural England and the RSPB are among the major opponents of the development, earmarked for land south of busy Wallisdown Road.

Many residents have also campaigned against the proposal, arguing the development will increase noise pollution and create a loss of public open space.

However, the plans do have the full support of Bournemouth University and the Arts University College, which stand to benefit from the increased student accommodation and additional 3,500sq metres of academic floor space.

Talbot Village Trust is one of Dorset’s largest charitable trusts and provides around £800,000 annually to local causes.

It believes the scheme, which encompasses affordable housing and improved heathland, will hugely benefit the community.

Mr Pickles is unlikely to rule on the inquiry findings until 2012.