TRAFFIC chaos in Ferndown and Longham was high on the agenda at a packed public meeting - just hours after Grade II-listed Longham Bridge was closed after being struck by a HGV.

Hundreds of concerned residents packed the meeting to discuss proposals to earmark land in Ferndown and Longham for hundreds of new homes, as part of the Christchurch and East Dorset District Council's (EDDC) Local Plan Review.

This document, still in its early stages, is basically a blueprint outlining where preferred future development should take place in the district.

It was standing room only at St Mary's Church Hall, Ferndown, on Tuesday night, as topics such as flood risk, new infrastructure, environmental impact of development, greenbelt erosion and special character areas came under the spotlight.

However, the first item on the agenda - traffic congestion, traffic road infrastructure and environmental air quality - proved one of the most contentious.

Just hours before the meetings, Longham Bridge was closed for several hours by the emergency service after it was struck by a lorry.

No-one was injured in the incident, but campaigners have long called for a solution to the existing traffic problems along Ringwood Road.

One resident, speaking at Tuesday evening's meeting, said: "I have lived in Longham for 45 years and the thing that has really, really got my back up, is that we have this meeting tonight after a lorry crashed into the bridge.

"Once out of my house I had to wait for 75 minutes before I could drive anywhere. Between Longham and West Parley it took me one-and-a-half hours.

"Yes we need more houses, we are human beings, we are compassionate, people have to live somewhere.

"But nothing is being done to help us."

Another resident said: "Why cannot all of the traffic jams be sorted out before we consider any more new development.

"It seems we are going about this the wrong way around."

Earlier, Ferndown Town Council councillor Paul Hanson Graham: "This meeting is to discuss and debate plans put forward by EDDC that will affect resident's quality of life.

"This agenda has been created from notes and and concerns raised at the consultation meeting held at Bluebirds Social Club on August 22."