IN the race to develop a leisure and retail complex in Bournemouth, the West Central scheme for Exeter Road site could now be front runner.

With the financial backing from Legal and General and the support of Odeon, Licet Holdings appear to have an edge over the Pavilion Gardens. Bournemouth Council doesn’t seem keen on the privately funded Licet plan, even throwing an eleventh hour bus station ‘spanner in the works,’ a potentially risky proposition by its own admission.

The council has made its position clear but provided little in the way of convincing justification for it.