A DEVELOPER is appealing decisions to reject two of its schemes to build flats at former cinema sites in Bournemouth.

Libra Homes’ bid to demolish the majority of the empty Odeon building in Westover Road and replace it with a 10-storey block of 84 flats with two floors of shops was rejected by planning officers in March 2017.

A subsequent application for a 14-storey building with shops and 101 flats was also turned down by officers the following month, without even reaching councillors.

A year on, the developer has lodged a planning appeal for the first scheme, which council officer Simon Gould previously declared “would result in an unacceptable, unjustified and substantial loss of an existing locally listed building”.

An appeal has also been made against the decision to reject plans to demolish the bulk of the nearby former ABC cinema and build a block of 62 flats.

Libra Homes intended to keep the ABC’s frontage but demolish the rest of the building for a six or seven storey development, which also included two shop units.

However, Mr Gould turned down the scheme in October last year for a number of reasons, including the size of the proposed development and its detrimental impact on the conservation area.

Libra Homes had said the cinema’s original Art Deco facade could be restored as part of the development, if it survives under cladding added in the 1960s.

The developer bought the two former cinemas for a total of £6.15 million following Odeon’s decision to move to the BH2 multiplex.

James Weir from the Bournemouth Civic Society, which objected to both of Libra Homes’ schemes, said the planning appeals had been “long expected”.

“They are indicative of the applicant’s inability or unwillingness to draw up schemes which respect these heritage assets, their settings and also their potential as continuing cultural facilities,” he said.

“Once we have reviewed the material, we shall make representations which fully support the council’s refusals of both schemes, along with other heritage bodies who acknowledge the importance of these buildings to Bournemouth.”

The Daily Echo contacted Libra Homes through agents Goadsby for comment but did not get a response before going to press.