POOLE Quays Forum say they will oppose re-development plans for a High Street site.

Chair Bill Constance has said the development plans represent a ‘dangerous situation’ for the area and could put the Old Town Conservation Area further at risk.

Mr Constance says that despite the claim that the concepts were ‘well received in principle’ PQF have objected to the proposals.

“The High Street as a central part of the Old Town Conservation Area is already on the Historic England “at risk” register. We are extremely concerned that allowing the development of an 8-storey block of flats on this sensitive Heritage site will have an adverse impact upon an already dangerous situation. It would undermine the positive work being done by the “High Street Heritage Action Zone” project team to improve properties and the appearance of the Lower High Street,” he said.

The chairman said the site, a former shop with house alongside, backing onto a site which includes an old warehouse, was an “important site located within the heart of the Old Town and Quay Conservation Area.”

“Any development must “preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the conservation area”, which is a requirement, clearly specified in the PQF Neighbourhood Plan, the Poole Local Plan and nationally by the National Planning Policy Framework.

“The scheme fails to satisfy this essential requirement of a development within the Conservation Area.”

Mr Constance says the forum believe the eight-storey block on the south side of the site is out of character with the surrounding area which has predominantly two and three storey commercial and residential buildings and says its design is “lacking in any recognition of the “character and appearance of the adjacent area” and claims there is no justification, on BCP policy, for a building of such height in the area.

He says the composition of the scheme, with mainly one and two-bed flats and just one 3-bed flat, offers no family homes and no affordable home.

Mr Constance says that, according to council policy, sites over 11 homes should have 38 per cent three-bed homes, 42 per cent two-bed; 12 per cent four-bed and only 8 per cent one-bed.