A SOUTHBOURNE resident is calling for people to support a vote to add a car park to a heritage list to safeguard against development.

Last year, a planning proposal was submitted for 27 new homes to be built on Southbourne Crossroads car park.

The plans would see 24 two-bed and three one-bed flats across blocks up to four-storeys tall.

There were 560 objections to the planning application from residents who do not want Southbourne Crossroads car park to be developed into large modern flats, or to lose the communal gardens.

Local resident Lucy Beale is hoping these people will join her in voting to have the crossroads put on a heritage list.

She said: "BCP and Dorset Council have set up a new heritage project which opened on February 15 for eight weeks, where locals can nominate/vote for places to be preserved via an online form.

"The online form on the BCP website would prevent the development and put Southbourne crossroads on a heritage list keeping it safe and maintained.

"There are so many reasons why we need to protect the Southbourne Crossroads area and conserve our community, such as our historical vista (the gateway to the overcliff and beaches) the social, economic and environmental impacts, the destruction of wildlife habitats and our need as humans for outdoor communal green space.

"This is our chance to have our say and be heard. If we had this opportunity in 1999 to stop the IMAX and loss of the Bournemouth vista, we would have, but by the time they built it, it was too late. Please, please help save our community."

Speaking about the heritage list, Cllr Beverley Dunlop, portfolio holder for culture and vibrant places said: “This is a significant project that looks at identifying and preserving our local heritage by asking the very people who know our towns and villages the best to get involved and nominate sites for consideration.

“I encourage everyone to nominate the local heritage they love and wish to be preserved in their local areas.”

Speaking about her plans to put Southbourne Crossroads on the heritage list, Lucy Beale said: "The meeting to make a decision on the car park is March 8, so the heritage vote closes after the meeting is done.

"I'm on part of a committee for the car park, we're trying to put across that they need to postpone the meeting until this vote is done because if the car park is then voted and the decision is already made where are they going to go from there.

"If the 560 people that objected to the planning proposal put in that vote, the council surely can't build a development there."

For more information about the heritage list or to vote, visit https://www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/News/News-Features/Dorset-Local-Heritage-List/Dorset-Local-Heritage-List.aspx?