PLANS for ‘meet and greet’ airport parking have been approved - despite recommendations to refuse the scheme.

Christchurch council’s planning committee gave the go-ahead to BOMO’s application for the independent parking scheme at Adventure Wonderland.

The scheme would see the company collect customers’ cars from the airport and take them to the theme park site, before meeting the passenger on their return with the vehicle.

Officers said the plans would be inappropriate due to the intensification of use within the Green Belt and would cause more traffic.

They also cited the impact of traffic, saying public transport was available to the airport.

But members criticised the reasons, saying the land was already being used for parking and they were unable to see how the use would be intensified.

Cllr Trevor Watts said: “The use is exactly the same whether it’s parking for the airport or parking for the aviation museum.

“As it is for airport parking, there will be even less journeys than there are now.”

He added: “I really do not have a problem with this.

“I am aware of the issue with the Green Belt but in my opinion if a car is sat there for a week it is doing less damage and won’t add to the volume of traffic at all.”

Cllr Lesley Dedman, who seconded Cllr Peter Hall’s motion to approve said: “I am not convinced of the arguments against this proposal.

“I don’t think it is harmful to the Green Belt.”

Speaking after the meeting, John Smith, managing director of BOMO said: “We are really excited and pleased that the councillors were objective and believed our service adds value to the local economy.

“As the councillors stated the airport need competition, and customers deserve a choice.

“We believe this is monumental, as the first official alternative airport parking service for Bournemouth Airport.”

A spokesperson for Bournemouth Airport said: “As we have previously explained, we receive a lot of complaints from our passengers about ‘off airport parking’, so we are disappointed that this planning application has been approved.

“The airport invests a significant amount of time and money to ensure that cars are parked in a secure environment which meets the stringent requirements of the Park Mark status.

“Companies which offer a meet and greet service are completely unregulated and cars are parked in areas with very few, if any, security measures.”