THE boss of Bournemouth Airport has called for controversial off site parking plans to be rejected.

In a letter to Christchurch Borough Council’s planning department, managing director Paul Knight has fully detailed the Airport’s objection.

The application for the land at Adventure Wonderland is asking for permission for 200 cars to be allowed to park on the site.

It has come from BOMO Ltd, who run an ‘off-airport’ parking scheme where they pick-up vehicles and return them to the owners when they arrive back from holiday.

However, in their letter, Bournemouth Airport said: “We would like to register our objection to the proposal based upon its inappropriateness within the Green Belt, its implications for the delivery of our surface access strategy, the lack of any demonstration of need and because of sustained unauthorised use by the applicant.”

It says the use would have a material effect on the Green Belt and “very special circumstances that outweigh the potential harm have not been demonstrated by the applicant.”

It also says one of the objects of the airport’s master plan is to reduce the impact of travel on the road network.

“Through careful management of car parking, the airport is able to offer an alternative to the practice of ‘kiss and fly’, which is the most unsustainable form of airport access as two legs of any total trip are undertaken without any passengers in the vehicle.

“Hence four road trips are generated compared to two if the vehicle is parked on site.”

It adds: “There is currently an on-site capacity of 2,500 public spaces, and on the busiest day we have had this year, we had 2,000 spaces in use.

“Too much convenient and cheap car parking will dissuade public transport usage, however too little provision without corresponding public transport provision and accessibility will result in an increase in the rate of drop off and pick up activity that impacts negatively on the public highway network.

“It is therefore important that a rigorous control over car parking provision serving the airport is maintained to deliver travel plan and public transport objectives.”

The airport says the ‘off-airport’ parking operation could generate as many as eight movements on the highway.

“Clearly this strikes at the heart of an objective to minimise and reduce impact on the highway network.”

The airport has recently changed ownership when it was sold by Manchester Airport Group to Regional and City Airports last year.

Comments are open until February 17.