THE prospect of Bournemouth council taking on the former ABC cinema site in Westover Road has again been raised and denied.

Events organiser Built Environment Networking said Bill Cotton, the council's executive director of economy and environment, listed "a residential scheme on a former city centre cinema site" among future projects for the Bournemouth Development Company (BDC) at the Bournemouth Development Plans Conference at the BIC last month.

BDC is a partnership between the borough and Morgan Sindall Investments.

In November, architect Bradley Cheer of Anders Roberts Cheer in Christchurch told the Echo that Libra Homes, owner of the ABC site, had been approached by BDC bidding to buy it.

Then, BDC denied having made any approach to Libra Homes, and this week Councillor Philip Broadhead, cabinet member for economic growth, said Mr Cotton's words must have been "misconstrued".

"We have no ownership, both the former Odeon and ABC sites are still owned by I think Libra Homes," he said.

"We have never bid for them or been buying them at any point, there were rumours but they were an absolute fabrication.

"I don't think we have ever even looked at the site."

Cllr Broadhead said everything BDC has lined up is laid out in its recent business plan, on which the Echo reported earlier this year.

Schemes also reportedly mentioned by Mr Cotton in the conference, and set out in the business plan, include the 44 flat scheme for the Durley Road car park and a "culture centre" at Bournemouth Pavilion called the Pavilion Gardens scheme.

Back in November Mr Cheer said Libra had turned down the alleged offer from BDC, shortly before planning permission was rejected for the developer's own 62 flat block application.

He suggested the timing of the bid was "a bit weird", although Cllr David Kelsey, chairman of the planning board, said: "The council’s partnership with the Bournemouth Development Company has no bearing on the determination of planning applications."

Bournemouth council has previously expressed interest in developing both cinema sites together with the former ice rink between them.

Back in 2011, when a new tenant was found for the ice rink, then-council deputy leader Cllr John Beesley, who is now leader, said: "“If the private sector has decided to do something with the premises then, certainly for the time being, that’s very welcome.

“In the longer term, complete redevelopment can only take place in a financial climate that’s going to bring forward the level of investment needed.”