A FIRM hoping to develop Bournemouth’s ABC cinema site was invited to sell the building to a partly council-owned company shortly before its plans were refused, the Echo understands.

Sources have revealed the Bournemouth Development Company (BDC), a partnership between the borough and Morgan Sindall Investments, offered to buy the historic cinema from Libra Homes, which was seeking permission to demolish most of the building and put up a block of 62 flats.

At the end of October council officers rejected the scheme, saying it represented the loss of a heritage asset to the detriment of the conservation area and failed to meet council policies on parking and retail space.

In particular officers criticised a lack of commitment to preserving the 1930s Art Deco façade, currently hidden under cladding.

Architect Bradley Cheer of Anders Roberts Cheer in Christchurch, who designed the building, said the timing of the BDC bid was “a bit weird”.

“Our client (Libra) came in last week and said that before the refusal was issued the Bournemouth Development Company came to him and made a bid to buy the site,” he said.

He said BDC had suggested it would “comprehensively redevelop” the site alongside the former ice rink next door, which it had apparently acquired. “They wanted to do the whole row.”

Mr Cheer said Libra had had engaged in apparently “helpful” discussion with council officers prior to submitting its bid.

“We were quite shocked at the refusal to be honest. They seemed happy with the design in principle, but we didn’t get any discussion during the application, we just got a refusal in the post.”

He said the refusal and the BDC bid raised concerns about the borough making planning decisions about sites when a company it partly owns “clearly wants to buy”.

On behalf of the council, planning board chairman David Kelsey said: “The Libra Homes planning application was considered on its planning merits and duly refused. The officer report explaining the various planning issues and reasons for refusal is set out as a matter of public record.

“Libra Homes, like any other developer, have the right to appeal against the planning refusal if they disagree with the decision.

“The council’s partnership with the Bournemouth Development Company has no bearing on the determination of planning applications.

“BDC applications, where deemed unacceptable in planning terms, have also been refused.”

The decision leaves it unclear what will happen to Westover Road’s two former cinemas, which were bought by Libra Homes for a total of £6.15 million.

Libra has now seen two applications for the Odeon site rejected as well as its one bid to redevelop the ABC.