DEVELOPERS were sent back to the drawing board last night after councillors turned down plans for Bournemouth’s Winter Gardens site.

The council’s planning board backed their officer’s recommendation to refuse outline permission for the application, despite impassioned pleas to grant the scheme from developers, local residents, traders and business leaders.

Applicant APB Park Ltd stressed that leisure facilities were at the heart of their ambitious £75million plans encompassing 141 apartments, a cinema, hotel, external piazzas, restaurants and 595 car parking spaces.

The Federation of Small Businesses supported the application along with Peter Scott, chief executive of Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who said the scheme could create 1,000 new jobs and be of “vast economic benefit” to the region.

The council’s principal planning officer Steve Davies said: “It will certainly regenerate the town but we have got to get the design right; in terms of the scale and mass of it.

“There are some issues with transport; the scheme should deliver a significant level of leisure.”

Cllr Mike Greene said: “Everybody wants something to happen on this very significant site but that does not mean that we can allow anything to happen. It would be totally out of scale with Exeter Road and increase stagnation within the town.”

Cllr Roger West said: “We must not make another mistake; we have to think of the future of Bournemouth. We need a bit more clarity” while vice-chairman Cllr Ron Whittaker said: “We have got to get it right; we need more indoor leisure facilities on this site.”

Cllr Lynda Price said: “This is supposed to be a leisure complex; I think the residential units are horrible. An extra cinema will not seal the deal.”

The heated meeting came to a close after a move by chairman Cllr David Kelsey to refuse the application, seconded by Cllr Malcolm Davies, won unanimous support.

Mr Kelsey told members of the public: “We can’t rush decisions; it’s nearly there. I hope the applicant will come forward sooner rather than later with new plans.”

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