POOLE planners have been accused of “betraying” the future of Poole over their decision to recommend the West Quay scheme for approval.

Vision for Poole, made up of four residents groups, strongly opposes Neptune Consultants proposal for the major between-the-bridges regeneration scheme.

Their proposal for 377 apartments in six blocks, a statement tower, commercial and office space, goes before a special planning committee on Wednesday.

The group, which held four public exhibitions and set out an alternative, points out that 300 residents completed detailed questionnaires and 592 signed a petition protesting that the design was not high quality or compatible with heritage Poole.

“Planners have chosen to ignore the very clear opinions of Poole residents and have ignored many of the breaches of the sacrosanct planning core strategy,” said chairman Terry Stewart.

“This bodes ill for the rest of Poole’s development which in total is 3.5 times the size of the old town.”

Bill Constance, chairman of Poole Old Town Conservation Group said: “The planners’ report states the heights, scale and density contravene Poole planning policies.

“The scheme fails to preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the neighbouring quay and old town. You can only conclude that approval has been recommended, simply to get the regeneration started whatever the consequences for Poole.”

With his chairman of the Poole and Purbeck branch of the Council for the Protection of Rural England hat on, Mr Stewart told their branch annual meeting: “We feel Poole Borough Council is letting the town down in terms of standards and design.”

Stephen Thorne, head of planning and regeneration, Borough of Poole said there would be policy tensions but their job was to reconcile them or balance them out.

He said the developers had gone a long way to answer some of the concerns in their redesigned plans and members would decide on the application before them.

“We are trying to achieve what we can for Poole and the people of Poole. It’s a different type and style of development. It has to be – by virtue of the fact it’s a regeneration site,” he said.

Neptune Consultants have stood by their design throughout and it goes before the planning committee at the RNLI Lifeboat College, West Quay Road at 9.30am on Wednesday.