A POOLE councillor says major changes need to be made to the road network if it is to cope with extra traffic from three big new developments planned in his ward.

The comments by Merley and Bearwood councillor David Brown have been made in response to the submission of plans for nearly 700 homes on land off Magna Road.

As reported in the Daily Echo last week, developers WH White are proposing to construct a new traffic light junction on Magna Road as part of its plans.

According to a transportation assessment carried out as part of the scheme, the “proposal would not have a significant adverse impact upon the highway network”.

However, it is not the only major scheme planned in the area, with plans for 650 homes on land near Merley.

And developers Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes are currently building nearly 250 houses and 75 flats on another site off Magna Road.

Cllr Brown said “big investment” and a “step change in the road network is needed”.

He will be organising a meeting for residents in his ward to discuss their concerns about the new development in the next couple of weeks.

“The impact on Magna Road, Bear Cross Roundabout, and other surrounding roads is a big issue for the community. There are also a lot of concerns about local GP services and school places,” he said.

“According to the Poole Local Plan significant sums of money from developers will be used to deal with the impact on infrastructure. However, the devil’s in the detail and the conditions imposed through the Section 106 agreements will determine if the contributions are sufficient and how changes are going to be achieved.

“I understand there’s going to be traffic modelling and assessments for Bear Cross Roundabout, the Longham junction and Mountbatten Roundabout for other developments in the conurbation. The existing network won’t cope with the extra traffic.

“We need to be looking seriously at new road connections to the A31 to take the pressure off, and more seriously at ‘dualling’ sections of the A31 at Ferndown and Canford Bottom. Also, a road bridge over the River Stour. Now’s the time with all these developments going on.”