The proposal for the Rockley Point site included plans to build a new restaurant, training facilities and accommodation for water sports, 46 holiday units and 17 hardstanding bases for the siting of static caravans.

He also detailed work on slipways, moorings and the port, a new promenade and a 123-space car park.

However, more than three years after submitting the plans to council, Rockley Sands (Estates) Limited withdrew the application.

A letter from planning and development consultants Lichfields to BCP Council’s planning department said: “On behalf of our client, Rockley Sands (Estates) Limited, we confirm that we wish to withdraw the current planning application for the proposed redevelopment at Rockley Point (Ref: APP/18/01470/F).

“The application went through a lengthy process, having originally been submitted in November 2018.

“Our client needs more time to review options for redeveloping this part of the site, including reviewing existing permission.

“Rather than requesting a further extension of time, we believe it would be appropriate to withdraw the request and re-engage counsel once we establish a preferred way forward.”

Plans for Rockley Point had been backed by Bournemouth and Poole’s tourism manager.

Modified proposals were submitted in August 2019, but demand has not progressed since then.

A spokesperson for Haven, owner of Rockley Park holiday park, told the Daily Echo: ‘Haven is continuing to review options for further development of its park at Rockley Point and will do so in more detail before submitting any proposals. other planes.

With dozens of road works underway in the conurbation over recent weeks, TomTom’s study now ranks Bournemouth as the 99th most congested city in the world.

And it’s no surprise to those in the know, with BCP Council transport manager Cllr Mike Greene describing the ranking as “absolutely correct”.

Cllr Greene told the Daily Echo the report vindicated the authority’s increasingly tough stance on reducing traffic in the conurbation – exemplified by more provisions for cyclists and pedestrians as well as the encouragement of public transport.

He said: “The report is entirely accurate and, although we may quibble over the actual ranking, there is no doubt that traffic congestion is a growing problem.

“The city’s population has increased by 20% in 20 years and during this time we estimate that 8% more vehicles have been added to our roads.

“In terms of a solution, building roads could be one – but that’s just not practical. There’s no space for that and we’d end up having to bulldoze thousands of homes.

“At the end of the day, we have two choices. We can let the situation escalate or provide quick and safe alternatives. The second is exactly what we started doing with our transformative travel program.

“If we could get a relatively small proportion of cars off the road by providing safe and fast alternatives, journey times would decrease exponentially. This is particularly the case for short trips since 15% of BCP trips are less than 2 km, which is easily passable on foot or by bike.

“We’re not asking everyone to walk or cycle, but those who can and are prepared should give it a try as it could make a huge difference.”

Cllr Greene also hailed the Beryl electric scooter scheme in Bournemouth and Poole as a “phenomenal success” in reducing congestion.

Roadworks and traffic delays on Alder Road in Poole.

Community group BH Active Travel said it was ‘not surprising’ that Bournemouth ranks so high in the report and believes a ‘total overhaul’ of the city’s transport network is needed.

A spokesperson for the group told the Echo: ‘There have been many studies into reducing traffic congestion, and the answers are not rocket science. The problem has been aggravated by the transport policy of the last 40 years favoring the automobile. We are now at a point in BCP where this is no longer sustainable.

“As a business district and a hotspot for tourism, BCP Council needs a total overhaul of its transport network, which we believe they are currently considering as part of the local plan.”

The group also put forward suggestions for reducing congestion, such as charging for workplace parking and safer, separate cycling and walking infrastructure.

They added: “Not only does cycling and walking reduce congestion, they also improve health and the environment. Not all roads require separate infrastructure. Costs can be reduced by implementing ‘quiet lanes’ – using modal filters and road design that slow down traffic. Anything that makes cycling and walking more attractive and safer will make some people change their habits.

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Echo readers also had their say on ways to improve congestion in the area. One person commented, “BCP has no traffic problems at all except summer and holiday weekends. You want a world-class vacation spot, you need to have the automotive infrastructure to handle it.

Others have called for fewer traffic lights, more parking and better organization of roadworks in the area – many of which are currently taking place concurrently.

Previously accused of “opposing change”, the group said it wants the infrastructure to live up to its reputation.

It comes as two major projects for the world famous peninsula await a decision – one from Fortitudo for the replacement of the Sandbanks Hotel to include a new 171 room hotel, the replacement of the Haven Hotel with three blocks of residential apartments and the construction of an “aparthotel” with 38 suites on the site of the Harbor Heights Hotel.

The other is for an apartment block and restaurant on prime harborside land which is currently used as a shipyard owned by the Sandbanks Yacht Company.

The group raised objections to both requests.

Group Chairman David Morley said: ‘There is a shortage of good quality facilities, people come here to the beach in the summer, the choice of where to stay, where to eat, where to have a drink is very limited.

“Done in the right way, adapting to the character of the area, there is definitely a need for improvement in the public realm and in the facilities offered.

“We put the BCP Council’s waterfront strategy very much forward with a very positive view of Sandbanks as a place that people love to visit, where people feel safe and love to live here and where you can bring all of those elements together. one way is good for everyone.

Entrepreneur Luke David recently revealed plans for a Rockwater Village in Sandbanks and Branksome.

With investment in the proposed new sites exceeding £8.7 million, the new sites at Branksome and Sandbanks aim to regenerate the seafront and boost tourist numbers.

Mr. Morley added: “Upgrading the infrastructure to world-class standards is the key, it’s the homeline, to match its international reputation.

“Nobody wants a glitzy place just for the rich. It’s not Sandbanks. Some parts are very rich, but there are many parts that are enjoyed year-round by visitors and locals, from generation to generation.

Matt Moffatt, also a member of the group, added: “This is a first class destination. We need facilities and infrastructure for people to come and enjoy.

“Every summer we see people wondering around Sandbanks who have come here from other parts of the country, looking confused and expecting it to be more of an Ibiza-style resort. The media attention on Sandbanks is partly mythical.

“People say ‘where are all the bars’. There are also websites that list the best bars and restaurants in Sandbanks, but these are located in Lilliput, Poole and other areas, not Sandbanks.

“We want it to be a destination for visitors.”

The BCP Council plan will see the levels of the promenade raised to make the premises accessible without the need for a ramp.

Restrooms will be upgraded, along with disabled facilities, and a new ranger station will be constructed.

Four new beach huts will also be built, while the existing ice cream stand will be demolished.

Initial designs did not include a replacement shelter area, with the current space being lost to the pavilion renovation.

However, after an outcry from members of Poole Lifeguard Open Water Swimmers (PLOWS), a new shelter was incorporated into the scheme on land currently occupied by the gazebo.

The BCP Council’s proposal received clearance from the local authority’s own planning officers earlier this month.

Councilor Mohan Iyengar, Tourism and Active Health Portfolio Holder, said: “We are delighted that planning permission has been granted to redevelop the Canford Cliffs Pavilion.

“A considerable input has been taken into account by local residents and other users in the design.

Councilor Mohan Iyengar

“Now the project will improve this part of the waterfront and encourage regular use by more members of the community. This includes the provision of a new shelter for the use of open water swimmers.

“More generally, our work at Canford Cliffs and other places along the coast will be guided by the Seafront Strategy – in which we have received a large number of inputs which will guide us in the protection and development of things the right way.”

The redevelopment of the site is part of a wider £7.3 million seaside investment programme.

As noted, PLOWS members were appalled that the council’s initial designs did not include a public shelter. This was important to them as it provided a safe, dry place to store their belongings and a place to change.

Following a report at the Daily Echo and PLOWS meeting with council officials, the local authority submitted revisions to the planning application last year to include shelter.

The planning department awarded the program earlier this month.

A report by Officer Richard Young said: “The social and economic benefits of providing improved hut facilities, including a cafe, seating terrace, restrained shelter and changing room, are in line with the pattern of development in area and outweighs any minor damages caused by loss of open space.”

A BCP Council spokeswoman said a meeting was due to take place at the end of the month when details could be finalized around a tender for the redevelopment and when work could start on the site.

The new white paper will focus on challenges such as “improving living standards, growing the private sector and increasing and spreading opportunity”.

The BCP Cabinet learned this week that the board is already gathering the evidence it needs to make the case when the time comes for both the White Paper and any other funding opportunity that may arise.

The tactic of having bids ready to take off has already proven successful for neighboring Dorset Council which last year won £19million in government grants to help ‘green’ public buildings.

Cllr Toby Johnson leads the BCP process, who told the Cabinet meeting that despite the widely held view that the region was wealthy, there were pockets that were worse off and would need a boost additional help.

A report to councilors said 16,000 people (4% of the BCP population) live in the 10% most deprived areas of England, rising to 45,400 people (12% of the BCP population) in looking at the number of people living in the 20% most disadvantaged neighborhoods.

In contrast, 82,800 (21% of the BCP population) live in the 20% least deprived areas of England.

The area also has wages slightly below the national average and higher house prices at an average of £302,700 in the 12 months to March 2021 and is likely to have risen again since then – about 22% of local households rent privately.

Nearly 46% of 16-24 year olds in the area are employed in the distribution, hotel and restaurant sector, compared to 24% of all employed 16-year-olds and over.

According to the report: “Some areas, such as Sandbanks, Canford Cliffs, Christchurch and Broadstone, are among the least deprived areas nationally. In contrast, some communities experience some of the highest levels of deprivation in Turlin Moor, Alderney, Turbary Common and West Howe, Boscombe and Somerford.

He points out that deprivation is linked to health with inequalities in life expectancy with just under 10 years difference in life expectancy for women in West Highcliffe at 87.5, compared to women in Boscombe West at 77.9.

A report by the independent Southern Policy Center published a report in July concluding: “Parts of Bournemouth, Gosport, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton faced the same challenges as urban areas in the Midlands and North, with the life expectancy, skill levels and income below the national average.

Photo – Clr Toby Johnson

Of these, 520 were across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and 345 in the wider Dorset Council area.

Read more: Shocking intensive care figures show the reality of Covid hospitalizations in Dorset

This means that since the start of the pandemic 68,738 cases have been reported in the BCP Council area with 48,554 in Dorset.

In the past seven days, 2,479 positive results were returned to the BCP Council area, a rate of 624.5 per 100,000 people.

Read more: New Omicron symptom that could affect your sleep

Meanwhile, 2,086 people tested positive for the coronavirus at Dorset Council last week at a rate of 549.2.

In the New Forest, 213 cases have been recorded in the past 24 hours with 1,078 cases in the past seven days at a rate of 600.1.

Read more: ‘It’s the silent lockdown’: Dorset businesses ask for help as cancellations rise

The total number of positive results in the district since the start of the pandemic stands at 22,544.

The government said a further 93,045 laboratory-confirmed Covid-19 cases had been recorded in the UK as of 9 a.m. on Friday, the highest daily total recorded since the start of the pandemic and an increase of 4,669 by compared to the previous record set Thursday.

The government said 111 more people died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19. Separate figures released by the Office for National Statistics show that there are now 172,000 registered deaths in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

The commercial real estate advisor said he had already held meetings with restaurateurs and hoteliers and that there was “strong interest” in the site.

The situation with the arcade building had calmed down since the fall of 2019, when the BCP board reached a legal agreement with the owners Meyrick Estate.

Savills said that after careful consideration and market surveillance during the pandemic and while waiting for the opportune moment to continue the process started before Covid, the team are now continuing the expressions of interest sought in early 2022 on behalf of Meyrick Estate and BCP Council.

Kevin Marsh, Savills Licensed Leisure Manager at Savills, said: “The Meyrick Estate is looking to develop and revitalize the Happyland site in partnership with BCP Council to provide a high quality, world-class destination all year round for Bournemouth and its seafront, offering a selection of tourism and leisure facilities for visitors and residents.

“Before Covid, we organized a series of meetings with restaurateurs and hoteliers who showed a strong interest in the site.

“With such a positive sentiment in the UK hotel industry, especially in places such as Bournemouth, we believe the time has come to bring the property to market. ”

Richard Norgrove, Real Estate Manager at Meyrick Estate, said: “The Meyrick Estate is looking to create a destination and revitalize this site in partnership with BCP Council to deliver an ambitious destination.

“Continuing the process we started before Covid, we look forward to engaging with the market through Savills. ”

In September 2019, when the site was last discussed in detail at a council meeting, the local authority’s portfolio holder for regeneration, Cllr Mark Howell, said “a hotel is being considered as the most likely option ”.

Since then, Tory advisers have taken control of the council and have identified Happyland as part of its “coastal bow” ambitions.

Cllr Philip Broadhead, BCP Council for Development, Growth and Regeneration portfolio holder, said: responsibilities.

Cllr Philip Broad Head

“Showcasing the Happyland arcade site will be part of the thrilling destination experience for visitors to Bournemouth, stretching along the coastal arc that runs from BIC in the west to Westover Road in the west. ‘is.

“A revitalized, world-class development in this prime oceanfront location offers us, along with our partner, the opportunity to ensure that these interconnected sites share the same vision and something that we can proudly present to the world. ”

A McDonald’s spokesperson said on Monday: “We take cleanliness and hygiene very seriously and made the decision to temporarily close our Wessex Gate restaurant for a short period last week while we worked with our partners in the fight. pest control and local environmental health workers. ”

The spokesperson added: “The restaurant reopened earlier this afternoon and we would like to thank our customers for their patience.”

Multiple signs on the restaurant’s windows and doors could be seen on Monday advising potential customers of the closure.

The signs read: “We are currently closed. We apologize for any problem. ”

Meanwhile, the parking lot outside the restaurant was closed on Monday, but staff were visible inside the branch.

The signs also informed people of the location of the nearest open branch of McDonald’s.

BCP’s board confirmed the restaurant’s closure and said it was continuing its affair with the fast food giant.

Speaking on Monday, a spokesperson for the BCP Council said: “We are aware of the business closure and continue to liaise with the business to ensure food safety standards are met.”

McDonald’s has a number of branches in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and in East Dorset.

In addition to the restaurant at Wessex Gate Retail Park, the chain has two other branches in Poole with more restaurants in Bournemouth, Ferndown, Boscombe and Christchurch town centers.

Another McDonald’s branch is scheduled to open in Christchurch at Barrack Road Shopping Park.

It will open on the site of the former Pizza Hut restaurant which closed at the end of November.

A McDonald’s spokesperson said last month the new restaurant would create “at least” 65 jobs for locals.

The opening date is not yet known.

The charity event typically attracts around 3,000 spectators and has been around for over 40 years.

This year the race will start at around 11:40 a.m. from Poole Bridge towards Poole Quay Boat Haven, according to a spokesperson for Poole Harbor Commissioners.

There will also be up to 100 classic vehicles on display from the Sea Music sculpture, where the Lower High Street meets the pier, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

A spokesperson for Poole Tourism said: “This wacky event is the perfect way to start the New Year as it is a goodwill-based event that is not afraid to have a little fun. We’ve had incredibly unique tubs gracing our waters over the years with amateur crews showing off the creativity of the citizens of Poole. A fun day out for everyone, the annual tub run is one event you can’t afford. to miss. ”

A spokesperson for Poole Harbor Commissioners said: “This event is supported by various volunteers including a safety boat cover from the Poole Yacht Club, Jenkins Marine and the RNLI will also be present on the water.

“This is an event jointly supported by the BCP Council and the Poole Harbor Commissioners and both organizations are keen to support the events at the quayside here in Poole.”

Mohan Iyengar, Portfolio Holder for Tourism and Active Health, said: “We are delighted to see the return of the New Year’s Bathtub Race, jointly organized by the BCP Council and the Poole Port Commissioners with the support again from the Lord Nelson Pub.

“It’s a traditional and popular event and the wharf businesses benefit everyone who shows up.

“Unfortunately, it was canceled last year due to the pandemic. We were all looking forward to it again and still plan to continue this year’s event, subject to Covid restrictions. We are monitoring the situation. permanently. ”

Teams can register here:

https://forms.zohopublic.eu/tourism/form/BathRaceRegistration/formperma/QJTyYk_GwfK7VWy0c8iSxTW2OyFG1z2APrbdtTNtnDI