MORE than a dozen homes could be built on a former play area on the edge of Bournemouth, if new plans are approved.

BCP Council has applied for permission to redevelop the land between Wilkinson Drive and Cheshire Drive into four homes and a block of nine flats.

A statement submitted on its behalf says the scheme has been designed to be “sympathetic” to surrounding homes and that it would make a contribution towards new ‘affordable’ housing.

The play area between the two residential roads, and just north of the A338, was closed by Bournemouth council a number of years ago.

BCP Council has now earmarked the land for a terrace of four three-bedroom homes and a three-storey block of nine two-bedroom flats.

Access to the houses would be via Cheshire Drive while the Wilkinson Drive will be used to create a route to the flats. Seventeen parking spaces would be provided across the site.

If approved, it would be the latest local authority housing development in the area.

Bournemouth council had previously constructed houses in Cheshire Drive as part of its work to increase the number of affordable homes in the area.

No details about provision in the latest scheme have been made available in the application but there is a target of 40 per cent in any development of more than ten homes.

A statement by BCP Council’s architect, Trinity Architecture, says the development “provides for affordable housing within the local authority housing requirement remit”.

“This proposal seeks to provide a quality of development that is sympathetic in terms of its scale, character, materials and layout and is entirely appropriate to the surrounding area,” it adds.

“The proposal is compatible with an established pattern of development within the area, and the setting of buildings and their occupants are respected. The area is not harmed by the proposal.”

The application will be considered by council planning officers in the coming weeks.