BOURNEMOUTH council has unveiled plans for 10 new beach huts at Manor Steps in Boscombe.

The construction of 15 ‘beach lodges’ at the site sparked controversy last year as many owners of the existing huts were left staring at the back of the new lodges.

In January the borough sent a letter to hut tenants advising that an additional nine lodges would be constructed as the existing huts had proven to be “extremely popular” and were in “high demand”.

If permission is granted by the council’s planning department, work is to begin in the Autumn.

In its letter, the borough said it was working on plans to raise the rear terrace to give the existing huts a better view over the new ones.

According to the council's application: "The proposed beach lodges have been designed to retain the linear arrangement of the existing beach huts and are located to the rear of the second raised area of the site to allow a timber balcony and step access to each lodge.

"One set of steps will service two lodges, each having their own individual balcony."

The lodges will be for a tourist use offering an overnight stay, and will be connected up to mains water, electricity and the sewerage system, the council says.

Each hut is split over two levels and can sleep up to six people.

According to the application, the huts will be in white and pastel colours, "of a typical design and beach hut vernacular", and will have large timber bi-folding doors on the frontage "creating a seamless transition between inside and outside and also give the occupants the opportunity to take in marvellous sea and beach views".

Last year those huts which were blocking views were moved after an agreement was reached between the council seafront team and the hut owners, however at the time the borough said it was only a temporary reprieve. Then-cabinet member for tourism Cllr Lawrence Williams said the authority "still intend to place beach huts along this stretch of the promenade as part of the ongoing Seafront Strategy, to improve the services on the seafront".

In January, one hut owner who received the council's letter, Jenny Cuddy, said: “We fully expect that the council will carry out what they intend to do. It is a shame that the loyal council tax payers of Bournemouth who have paid for many years large sums of money, are not being valued at the expense of holiday makers."

The council's letter said: "The planning application is due to be submitted in April and if granted, work will commence Autumn 2018.

"Due to the displacement of other beach huts on the site, a row of beach huts will be installed in front of your current site.

"We do recognise that this may impact on your hut and are in the process of working on plans to raise the current terrace your hut is located on."