PLANS for a new passenger terminal at Bournemouth International Airport have received a mixed reception from neighbouring New Forest residents.

Members of the district council planning development control committee raised no objection to the scheme, provided operating hours at the terminal are not increased and that additional noise and disturbance is not caused to neighbouring communities.

But policy, design and information officer Simon Trueick said there were concerns from two parish councils on the west side of the Forest.

Bransgore was concerned that the new terminal could mean extra airport-related activity and had asked for a limit to be placed on the number of movements.

Ellingham, Harbridge and Ibsley, in the Avon Valley, had also raised the question of possible long-term impact through continued growth of the airport.

The improvements for the airport, which has a flight path over the western side of the Forest, involves a replacement terminal that will provide for an annual passenger throughput of 1.25 million, operational buildings for engineering and support services, an apron connecting taxi-ways, a new road access and emergency access, both from Parley Lane, landscaping, a 600-space short-stay car park and parking for 50 staff vehicles.

The proposal also includes the closure of the existing terminal and the existing southern short-stay and northern long-stay car parks.

A report stated there was an intention to keep the closed terminal building but to take away several temporary buildings.