A CONTROVERSIAL plan to demolish a disused church and replace it with student flats has been blocked by Bournemouth council.

Developers had sought to knock down the former Apostolic Church in Victoria Park Road.

In its place a student block containing five flats, including 26 student beds, was proposed at the Winton-based site.

This prompted more than 10 letters of objection from residents, which resulted in the scheme going before the council's November planning board meeting.

Planning officers recommend the project for approval after the suggested number of students set to occupy the building was reduced from 29 in its failed January application to 26.

This was subject to the condition that a management plan would be put in place to help mitigate noise, poor behaviour and control car parking.

Cllr Stephen Bartlett, however, said there was “an expectation of problems” and that the number of students in the area would be “adverse” for nearby residents.

“You can put all the plans into place you like – it doesn’t stop the sorts of things that happen when you have a large number of students in any one particular area,” he said.

“For example, you can ask them not to have cars as a condition of their tenancy agreement, but of course it doesn’t stop their visitors coming along or them parking a car elsewhere in the town, which we know happens frequently.”

Cllr Bartlett’s move to refuse was seconded by Cllr Pat Oakley, the planning board's vice chair and Winton ward councillor, who cited planning policy requiring “mixed and balanced communities”.

“Both the density of students in this area and the density of students in this property contradict this policy,” said Cllr Oakley.

He added that students loitering late at night had proved a problem in other parts of the town, such as Charminster.

And Cllr Sue Anderson said she was aware of a family who had moved away from their property because of noisy students.

She said it would be “ridiculous” to allow further cars to be parked on the road, adding that students are “not concerned about slamming their doors” late at night.