BOSCOMBE councillors are backing calls for the borough to do more to protect historic buildings.

Late last year schemes to knock down and replace two 'heritage' buildings in Boscombe and Pokesdown were rejected by the planning board, however developers did not require permission to just demolish them as they were not formally listed.

Both buildings, in Wickham Road and Florence Road, were only 'locally-listed' as heritage assets in the area's Neighbourhood Plan, which is not yet in force.

Bournemouth Civic Society has suggested the council use an Article 4 direction, a form of planning legislation, to impose a blanket ban on demolitions of such assets without planning department approval.

Boscombe West councillor Philip Stanley-Watts said: "I think this should be used, once these buildings have gone they are gone for good.

"A lot of people would support this around the town, and there are a lot of people involved in the Neighbourhood Plan in the area who feel these places need protection."

Cllr Stanley-Watts said he planned to get other councillors involved and to press the case with the planning department.

Boscombe East councillor Andy Jones said: "It is certainly something I would like to see used if it is possible, I know our planning department is looking into it.

"We clearly need to do something to make sure these assets are not knocked down."

He said the Neighbourhood Plan, which is not likely to come into effect before the end of the year, subject to a referendum, would give the borough "more teeth" in protecting historic buildings.

The Echo understands that council planning chief Andrew England has offered to meet civic society representatives to discuss the proposal.

When it was first raised, Mr England told the Echo that officers were considering the society's request, but "it is clear from national guidance that the use of such orders should only be in exceptional cases".

And planning board chairman Cllr David Kelsey, who has expressed his concern at meetings about developers knocking down 'locally-listed' assets, said a new Article 4 direction would need to go out to consultation and could take several months to come into force.

The borough already has one Article 4 direction, which requires that new applications for houses in multiple occupation in the borough must go before planners and meet certain requirements to be approved.