A BOURNEMOUTH day nursery has been told to halve its attendee numbers by a planning inspector.

Mulberry Nature Nursery Ltd, in Oakwood Road, has been attended by 18 children and six babies in its play group for the past two years, despite its planning consent restricting it to a maximum of nine children and six babies.

Manager Leanne Canning applied to Bournemouth council to change the conditions so as maintain its new numbers, but borough planning officers refused, and now the nursery has lost an appeal made to the Planning Inspectorate.

In a report, inspector Robert Parker said the chief concern was the potential noise nuisance to neighbours.

"Mulberry Nature Nursery is located in a predominantly residential area," the report said.

"The appellant argues that the current level of activity has gone unnoticed for the past two years and therefore there should be no cause for concern."

Mr Parker said he had seen evidence of residents complaining about the nursery "being loud at times", of complaints made to the council's environmental health service over several years, and had concluded that "excessive noise" had "affected quality of life for some neighbours".

"I have taken account of the need for childcare places in the borough and the fact that the council was supportive of applications for a day nursery on the site and its subsequent extension with a baby unit," he said.

"However, these material considerations need to be balanced against the location of the nursery within a suburban area where the residents have a reasonable expectation of peace and quiet within their gardens."

The inspector did however overrule the council on the use of the first floor of the nursery building, which is officially a flat previously occupied by a director of the business, but is currently used as a staff room and sleeping area for children.

"The council considers that this has resulted in an unacceptable loss of residential accommodation in the borough," the report said.

"To my mind, it is inherently more sensible to use the first floor for purposes ancillary to the nursery – uses such as staff welfare, office administration and a quiet place for children's naps."

The nursery was last inspected by Ofsted a year ago, a given a 'good' rating in all categories.

Inspectors praised the "warm and trusting relationships" between children and staff, and the enthusiasm of staff, as well as the management for its training and professional development of employees.