WHAT a carry on! A bid to revamp Boscombe seafront has been likened to an end-of-pier farce by a furious councillor.

The £8 million Boscombe Spa scheme is at risk of ending in stalemate with councillors and officers seemingly at loggerheads. And the "farcical" situation prompted Labour leader Cllr Ben Grower to suggest the next planning board meeting be held at the Pier Theatre.

The proposals to enhance Boscombe pier and surrounding area are backed by cabinet but have yet to win planning permission.

They were sent back to the drawing board in July after planning board members expressed concerns about lack of parking and wet weather facilities.

But instead of revising the scheme, cabinet members and leisure officers decided to send the exact same proposals back before planners on September 19. Cllr Grower said the decision showed "utter contempt" for the people of Boscombe.

"It's a complete farce - they should hold the next planning board meeting at the end of the pier," he said.

"The incompetence of this council is staggering beyond belief. The cabinet is bankrupt of ideas, it has no idea what local people wants and it has no ideas of its own."

Parry Brooks, chair of Boscombe Cliffs Residents Association, said: "Farce is the right word. I think some of the Liberal Democrats who voted against the scheme are now going to have a hard job resisting the pressure on them to pass it."

Cllr Rob Copeland, Boscombe project champion, has already faced a barrage of criticism for saying that the council intended to press ahead with the controversial plans - just days after the planning committee deferred the application.

At the time he said: "All the research undertaken, both technically with experts in the marine, conservation, transport and planning fields, and consultation with residents, clearly says this scheme is the best deal for Boscombe."

Leisure services head Roger Brown said the plans had been designed in accordance with the public's wishes.

"I really don't see that there is significant scope for change," he said. "We passionately feel that it's the best application we can make with the resources we've got available and respecting the consultation."

The bizarre situation has also angered members of the planning committee. Cllr Ron Whittaker, vice-chairman of the committee, likened it to the applicant "putting two fingers up to the planning board". He saw little point in considering the plans again if they had not been changed.

And Cllr Ken Mantock, chair of the committee, said: "It will be disappointing if the council can't take on board our comments."

Cllr Richard Smith, leader of the council, said: "It's not a farcical situation. The plans have been drawn up, they've gone out to public consultation and the planning board is charged with actually determining those plans.

"I can't see how that can be considered farcical."

First published: August 20