COUNCILLORS have approved new plans to demolish a former care home in Poole and build a block of flats in its place.

Marlborough House care home, which was owned by Bournemouth businessman Abdul Jaffer, closed in 2015 following a damning Care Quality Commission report. It will be replaced with 36 flats.

Although residents have expressed a number of concerns over the development, including its size, appearance, and the effect it will have on congestion in Marlborough Road, planning permission for a similar scheme was granted in 2016.

However, developers Blue Bay Properties amended their plans to create a two-storey link between the two blocks of flats.

Speaking at Thursday’s planning committee meeting, resident Sally Wall said the new development would be “completely out of keeping with the area”.

“The residents of Marlborough Road have already raised objections to all three applications, but unfortunately it appears our concerns have not been addressed.

“We strongly disagree with the character and appearance of the development,” she said.

She also said residents had concerns over the parking provision of the new building.

The scheme includes 32 parking spaces, three motorbike spaces and 40 bicycle spaces.

Cllr Ron Parker said he was concerned about the increase in traffic at the “busy” Bournemouth Road junction where the development will be situated.

“There’s been an accumulative effect of development in Bournemouth Road. I have concerns about schoolchildren walking through this area,” he said.

Cllr Marion Le Poidevin said as a former Marlborough Road resident she sympathised with residents’ concerns, however she added: “We’re stuck with this because of the previous approvals, unfortunately.”

Cllr Marion Pope said: “I feel it is a quality design, which adds to that area. You’re always going to have a problem with traffic, it’s a busy place.”

Matt Annen, of agents Pure Town Planning, said the new development would “make a positive contribution to the street scene”.

He said the reason for the amended plans was to make the two blocks more cohesive.

“The applicant felt the design and layout of the previous scheme was disjointed and there was a conflict of design styles.”