BOURNEMOUTH council’s head of planning has defended the authority’s policy on security shutters following criticism from a business owner.
Earlier this month, David Walters of We Fix in Holdenhurst Road described the six-month process to secure permission as “an absolute joke”.
However, the council’s most senior planner, Mark Axford, said that the visual impact was an important consideration.
He said that businesses were being forced to ‘jump through hoops’ by the council in order to meet its requirements.
At Monday’s meeting of the council’s planning board, Cllr Phil Stanley-Watts sought clarification on what advice is given to people looking to install security shutters.
Mr Axford said that while solid designs might be effective, there were concerns about their visual impact.
“If you have got three or four in a row it really diminishes the character of the area – it’s really not conducive to getting an area back on its feet,” he said.
Committee chairman Cllr David Kelsey added that the council had a guide for shopfront designs outlining its policies which business owners can use to make sure they meet requirements.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel