MULTI-million pound plans to redevelop Bournemouth’s Winter Gardens have been improved enough to warrant approval, according to council officers.

Proposals for the site, which include a leisure complex, hotel, 114 flats and public piazzas, will go before the council’s planning board this afternoon.

It has been over a year since the last set of plans for the prime town centre site was considered.

This also had an officer’s recommendation to approve but it was turned down by councillors.

The latest planning officer’s report admits the new application is similar to the last one but with improvements in key areas.

The developer, Inland Homes Ltd, has responded to criticism that it was too vague about the leisure element and is now saying that this could include an ice rink, Quasar complex, gallery, family entertainment space and/or cinema.

The hotel has been reduced by two floors and now takes up less floor space than in the previous proposal and there are proposals for a public space that will link the Square with the BIC and the Winter Gardens with the Gardens.

Inland Homes is also offering to fully fund and implement a shared space scheme at Exeter Road, at a cost of almost £1.5million.

The planning report concludes: “The scheme has now developed from the previous refusal. In particular the hotel building has been reduced in height and the scheme now includes the shared space proposals which are in my view a substantial benefit to Exeter Road.”

Today’s meeting will start at 2pm in the town hall. Members of the planning board will hear from the developers and from objectors before making their decision.