PLANNING chiefs have acted swiftly to dismiss claims that the controversial Boscombe seafront scheme could be rushed through.

Concerns were sparked after Cllr Rob Copeland, the council's Boscombe project champion, said the multi-million pound proposals would be going back to the planning board within weeks of being deferred.

But Cllr Ken Mantock, chair of the planning board, cleared up the situation by saying he had no intention of calling another meeting until officers had had enough time to properly review the proposals.

He said: "I've made it quite clear that due time has to be taken to consider the options and suggestions that have been made.

"We are not in the business of rushing things through. Due process will be followed."

The Boscombe regeneration plans have already been delayed by the government's decision to make the kiosks at the pier entrance a listed building.

Cllr Rob Copeland said any further delay, even a matter of weeks, could cost the council as much as £500,000.

"If the planning board decide that September is the best time for this application to be re-heard, then we will work with that," he said. "It's an important scheme for Boscombe and we will work with that. The planning board asked for further investigation and that's what we're going to do. Hopefully we will find a solution that works for everybody."

Planning board vice-chairman Cllr Ron Whittaker said: "It's not coming to the August meeting and it's not coming to any meeting in August. It will be the end of September. The officers have been instructed to take it back and work on the scheme again to see what they can do about the concerns raised by the representations.

"This is the same scenario as the IMAX situation, where in February we deferred it and within four weeks they called a special council and we were forced to reconsider that application the afternoon before a special council meeting. We had a gun put to our heads."

First published: August 9