A NATIONWIDE electric go-karting centre could be extending its premises to Bournemouth.

A planning application has been submitted for Team Sport Go Karting to open a new site in an industrial unit in Wallisdown Road.

TeamSport Karting has been looking for more than a decade to extend its premises to the Dorset area.

The new site will create up to 30 jobs of which 22 will be part-time and eight full-time positions.

The company has multiple go-karting venues across the country in areas such as Bristol and Farnborough.

A planning statement submitted by Savills on behalf of the applicant said: "The current building layout provides a large open plan space which will be utilised to create a track. Ancillary facilities will be located along the front and western parts of the building.

"The internal spaces will be designed to provide appropriate customer spaces as required for the operation of the use, whilst maintaining the maximum useable open plan area for track use.

"There are 48no. car parking spaces associated with the building, including 3no. accessible spaces which will be retained as part of the proposals."

A cover letter submitted with the application said the scheme would boost employment and support economic growth in the area.

The cover letter said: “It will bring a vacant unit back into use, and it will deliver a recreational facility providing excellent opportunities for delivering benefits via TeamSports social value and community initiatives which promote education, training diversity, and inclusion.

“This unique use is commonly found within industrial areas, given that the proposed use necessitates a requirement for large open-plan floor space.

“The building has been vacant for a period exceeding 18 months, despite active marketing having been carried out for over 12 months.

“No offers have been received from industrial/warehouse users, with reasons for not pursuing the site including the low eaves height of the building, insufficient parking, and insufficient space for HGV turning onsite.”

If approved, the go-karting complex will be at 510 Wallisdown Road, Bournemouth.

There is no date set for a decision on the plans at this stage.