A PROPOSED block of flats in Bournemouth has been turned down due to the size of the apartments.

Refusing the application by Juno Developments (Sandbanks) Ltd for a three-storey block at 1008 Wimborne Road, on the car park of the vacant Holly Tree pub, council planning officers said the eight two-bed and one one-bed flats would fall "significantly" below national space standards.

The scheme is the latest of several similar applications, most recently for a three storey block of 10 flats dismissed on appeal by the national planning inspector last year.

The officers' report says the scheme would have "cramped living accommodation with insufficient room for the sort of furniture that would usually be expected, nor for adequate storage".

"Although there are no locally adopted standards, the deficiency against the national standards would mean that inadequate living conditions would be afforded to future occupants."

The proposed two-bed flats range in size from 81.9 square metres to 51.9 square metres, with only the largest meeting the national minimum standard of 70 square metres.

The one-bed, at 40.7 square metres, is below the required 58 square metres also.

Officers also criticised the proposed size of the garden area, saying it would be "poor quality" and "of limited usability".

According to the report, while the plans do not include the neighbouring pub, Juno Developments has proposed to reopen the Holly Tree or convert the unit for retail use at some future date.

The application received several objections from residents, chiefly concerned about a lack of parking and overlooking.

Ward councillor Beverley Dunlop was among them.

She said: "I still consider the size and scale of the proposed development remains overbearing, too high and out of character for the area."

She said nearby roads had become dangerous due to a car wash operating nearby, and that the future of the pub should be considered as part of the application as "we should not encourage the loss of commercial space or a community facility".

Officers said the design and height of the proposed block was acceptable, but the development was also criticised for providing only seven parking spaces when eight unallocated or 12 allocated spaces were required by planning policy.