A PLAN to create flats above a Boscombe store has been refused after a complaint from the O2 Academy.

The applicant sought to convert the second and recessed third storey of the building at 586-588 Christchurch Road – Store Twenty One in the Precinct – into six flats.

The plan would have retained the shop on the ground floor.

However Academy Music Group objected saying that future residents could cause problems for the venue by complaining about noise levels.

In a letter to the council the group said: “Although the noise levels caused by the normal operation of the venue are not in breach of statutory requirements and permitted under the terms of our licence, we are concerned that our ability to use the venue under its current licence would be severely compromised in the future by the inevitable complaints from occupiers of the development.”

The letter also drew attention to government guidance which required that planning authorities must carefully consider residential applications near live music venues as “existing noise levels from the business even if intermittent may be regarded as unacceptable by the new residents and subject to enforcement action”.

A report by planning officer Colin Tebb notes the complaint, and concerns raised by the management of the Sovereign Shopping Centre regarding the use of the rear goods yard to access the properties.

However the refusal also follows concern over the size of the five one-bedroom and one two-bedroom flats, and the lack of parking space provision.

The report says: “The floor areas of some of the proposed units would fall below the minimum requirements of central government standards.”

On parking, it says: “The applicant has failed to demonstrate a satisfactory design-led approach to the provision of car parking.

“The lack of onsite car parking for the development would exacerbate parking stress on nearby roads.

“This is likely to lead to inconsiderate and illegal parking which would prejudice the condition of highway safety."

The application described the scheme as an "opportunity for the regeneration of this semi derelict site".