IT was a brief reprieve for a former GP surgery facing possible demolition.

Holton Homes wants to knock down the Victorian villa at 40 Florence Road, Boscombe, which was formerly home to the Boscombe Manor Medical Centre until its resident GP Richard Hattersley departed in June.

The developer wants to build a three-storey block of nine two-bedroom flats on the site.

The application was due to be discussed by the town's planning board on Monday but was pulled after residents complained their objections to the scheme had not been acknowledged.

Board chairman David Kelsey said: "We had an email from one resident saying their deputation had not been put on the website.

"When we looked into it we didn't find anything sent in, but we decided not hear the application to make sure they were given the opportunity to speak."

The scheme will now be considered at September's board meeting.

It has attracted numerous objections from residents since it was last reported in the Daily Echo.

In a submission to the board Toni Potterton, of Parkwood Road, said: "This family residential area is being eroded with numerous blocks of characterless flats.

"Whilst this may bring more council tax into the area it also puts a huge strain on resources and destroys the unique character of the area we have chosen to make our home in."

Steve Cable, of Knyveton Road, said: "This is a superb example of Victorian building in Boscombe. To lose it will be another nail in our precious heritage."

Pam Ruthvan of the Boscombe and Pokesdown Neighbourhood Plan working group said demolishing the building would be "a crime".

She said the Neighbourhood Plan, with its focus on retaining heritage buildings, would block such developments if formally adopted - it is due to go out for public consultation next month.

"The building Holton Homes wish to demolish is a well-presented and maintained Victorian villa with a beautiful interior, tiled floors, carved wooden staircase and stained glass windows," she said in her submission.

"Sympathetically converted it could be made into three spacious family flats with outside space and parking."

The site has previously seen planning permission granted in 2006 and 2008 for schemes to demolish the house and build three-storey blocks of 12 flats.