SERIOUS noise nuisance and disorder has led to a court order to close a Poole town centre flat.

Number 211 Orchard Plaza, in the High Street, will have to remain shut for three months.

An application for the closure order was put before Poole magistrates on Thursday October 3 under section 80 of the Anti-social behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. Magistrates ordered its immediate closure.

Ian Cooke, Safer Communities Manager at BCP Council said: "A Closure Order was served at the address on Thursday October 3 and will be in effect for three months. This was the culmination of joint agency working between Dorset Police and BCP Council following a sustained period of anti social behaviour at the premises.

"This course of action is always a last resort, but it was deemed necessary in this case due to the serious noise and disorder emanating from the property and the impact that was having on the local community.

"The police and council continue to work in collaboration to robustly deal with individuals or groups who have a detrimental effect on the local community from their home address."

The occupants of the property will be able to return in January unless the council fears the problems will continue and successfully applies for an extension.

Closure orders have been implemented at a number of addresses in the Bournemouth and Poole area over the last 18 months.

They include Throop Road in Townsend, Palmerston Road and Christchurch Road in Boscombe, Avenel Way in Poole, Turbary Park Avenue in Bournemouth and Dale Valley Road in Poole.

So-called party houses have also been the subject of closure orders including a property in Braidley Road, Bournemouth, marketed as The Stag House and The Party House, where neighbours complained they were disturbed by raucous parties.