A VICTORIAN villa has been spared demolition despite not being a formal heritage asset.

Developer Holton Homes had sought to knock down the former Boscombe Manor Medical Centre at 40 Florence Road, Bournemouth, to build a three-storey block of nine flats.

Planning board members decided the loss of the building was unacceptable, and also criticised the design of the proposed replacement.

The building is 'locally listed' in the Boscombe and Pokesdown Neighbourhood Plan (BPNP), which has yet to be adopted.

However, with no formal heritage listing the building remains at risk of demolition.

At a board meeting on Monday, Viola Wiebe, of BPNP, said: "This building is remarkably well maintained and retains most of its original features.

"You don't destroy something to create a much larger and inferior copy.

"If the decision is to grant there is little point in the Neighbourhood Plan going ahead."

Board member Councillor Philip Stanley-Watts said: "I know the building very well, a classic example of our late Victorian heritage. If it is demolished it will be lost forever.

"It goes against the Neighbourhood Plan which is very important for the regeneration of Boscombe and Pokesdown."

Cllr Christopher Wakefield said the building was a "lovely example of a villa" and "really, really well looked after", while Cllr Sue Anderson said: "This is a beautifully maintained villa in a part of town which really needs these sort of houses."

Cllr Stephen Bartlett said he was concerned about the size of the proposed flats, calling them "very, very small".

Planning officer Andrew England warned the board that the developer would not need planning permission to demolish the building.

"It is clearly a weakness in the legislation is framed, they need to notify us but the heritage value is not considered," he said.

Board chairman David Kelsey said: "I hope the developer will not do anything to damage the building.

"We encourage all developers to work with residents on their applications."