ANGRY residents have slammed a proposed first-time buyers housing development near a Poole primary school, saying the scheme endangers pupil safety.

Plans to build four detached bungalows on land adjoining School Lane, Oakdale, have been lodged with Borough of Poole.

OOTA Property Ltd, the firm behind the application, wants to include vehicle access to the Mellstock Road site, via School Lane - which is the main route taken by schoolchildren attending Oakdale Primary.

Resident Evelyn Westwood has already handed-out hundreds of leaflets to parents outside Oakdale Primary School and to neighbours.

She said: "I passionately believe that our schoolchildren should be able to walk safely to and from their school gates. So too should their parents and younger siblings.

"It is ludicrous, absolutely insane, that anyone can even think about building more properties with access to School Lane. The lane and surrounding roads are hugely congested twice a day."

However, Nick Rubenstein, of OOTA Property Ltd, said: "There are only four very small properties being built for first-time buyers.

"We concentrate on building a lot of cheaper properties that are only for first-time buyers.

"I think some people are very short-sighted. If first-time buyers cannot get on the property ladder until they're in their 40s, eventually it will destroy the value of everyone's houses.

"The access is very big and the maximum is four to six cars coming in and out, probably first thing in the morning and after work. Most schools are approached down a road with houses and many drives coming off, this is just one drive - one access point for four houses."

The application has received 21 objections from neighbours and parents of Oakdale Primary School.

Paul Dopson, of Mellstock Road, said he objected purely due to the safety of the junior school children.

Neighbour Elizabeth Hayes said: "Please someone show some common sense here. School Lane is a small side road that is not suitable to carry more traffic than it already does."

Describing the scheme as "preposterous," objector and parent Lee Atkins added: "Not long ago, just before school leaving time, a vehicle mounted the kerb and somehow landed on the top of the Virgin media box on the pavement.

"A few minutes later and children, including my daughter, would have walking past - it does not bear thinking about what could have happened."

Borough of Poole confirmed an application has been lodged and the decision is pending.