PLANS to build a huge storage business on one of Bournemouth's busiest roads could make traffic chaos in the area even worse, it is feared.

Lok'nStore have submitted an application to build on Castle Lane East, next to the Tesco Extra superstore.

Access to the site, which will be used by business and individual customers, will be via Deansleigh Road which is also the access road for the Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

Deansleigh Road also leads to The Village Hotel, Bournemouth Crown Court and insurance company RIAS.

High quality Computer Generated Images (CGIs) illustrate the scale of the building.

Lok'nStore storage facilities offer units in various sizes for storage. Business users account for around 20 per cent of customers with the remainder being household users.

A design and access statement, which forms part of a planning application, reveals the site layout and position of the building.

The front part of the building has been designed using white cladding and glass, with the remainder being bright orange and silver.

The statement, produced by Forum Architecture Limited on behalf of Lok'nStore says: "The existing site is accessed from the roundabout in Deansleigh Road. It is not proposed to alter this arrangement.

"The site is accessible by bicycle and by foot. Long term cycle parking for people working at the building is located within the storage units."

The report said a landscaping design has also been prepared.

Motorists using Castle Lane East are regularly affected by congestion. The recent closure of Tuckton roundabout brought traffic chaos with hospital staff and patients particularly affected.

Mayor of Bournemouth Cllr Lawrence Williams is ward councillor for the area.

He said: "This deserves a proper public hearing and I am going to insist that it goes before the planning board. I am not going to let it just go through."

A spokesman for the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Trust said they will continue to monitor traffic problems and added: "We will continue to keep a close eye on traffic flow in the area and work with the council to avoid disruption to the surrounding roads.

"We don’t anticipate there being a significant increase in traffic generated by a self-storage business in our locality.