A TEMPORARY car park can remain in operation in Bournemouth town centre despite the site being described as an “absolute dump” and an “eyesore”.

Britannia Parking has run a car park on the former Punshon Church site between Exeter Road and Exeter Park Road for several years.

The firm wanted permission to use the site for a further two years after its initial planning approval lapsed in November last year.

Members of BCP Council’s planning committee hit out at the state of the site before granting the scheme in line with the officer’s recommendation, which allowed the use to continue July 10 next year.

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Cllr David Kelsey, chair of the committee, said: “I totally agree the site is an absolute tip but I do have to think we all have the right to park our cars where we choose to park it.

“If some idiot wants to park their car in a tatty, potholed ridden car park, then I hope they have the money to repair it because I am sure the people that own the car park won’t pay for it, so it is up to them.

“If you want to park your car in that car park, go ahead and park it. If not, use a decently, nicely Tarmacked council-run one.”

The landlords of one of the properties adjacent to the site said issues needed to be addressed if the car park was to remain in place.

“This car park is very poor in safety and design and creates a lot of mess in the area,” they said.

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The concerned landlord added: “We are constantly disturbed by the fact there is no formal provision of waste bins either in the car park or in the surrounding streets.

“The car park is heavily used and people arriving back from the beach and town area often litter and dump their waste on our private property adjacent to the car park and also in the area surrounding the car park, which is detrimental to the quality and upkeep of the area.”

Ken Parke, of Ken Parke Planning Consultants who represented Britannia Parking, said the application simply wanted to extend the temporary use after planning permission was previously granted on appeal.

“Concerns have been raised over the appearance of the site. It is normal scenario for vacant sites to be hoarded and/or used as temporary car parks whilst they are awaiting developments,” Mr Parke.

Councillor Simon McCormack failed in a bid to have the application deferred to instruct the applicants to tidy up the site.

He said: “I actually have no issue with this site being used as a temporary car park but the current condition of it is an absolute dump. There are lumps of concrete, potholes, dust. It is a bit of wasteland with some plain parking machines on it.

“If we are to approve it, I don’t think the conditions proposed here are tough enough to implement up to the standard to what we would expect in a town centre car park or a car park anywhere for that matter.”

Councillor Marion Le Poidevin said she was concerned refusal of the application would see the site deteriorate even further.

She said “the lesser of two evils” would be to approve the scheme.

Councillor Tony O’Neill said he wanted to see the rubble on the site levelled and compacted, with the car park use continuing as it is well-used.

“It is a rough site, it is an eyesore and whether there are cars on it or not, it is still going to be a rough site and an eyesore,” Cllr O’Neill said.

The application was approved by 10 votes in favour and two against, with Cllr George Farquhar and Cllr Felicity Rice not in support.

Planning permission to build a block of 85 apartments and shops on the site was approved in July 2020. As reported, the land went on the market two months ago.