A fight to save a historic cottage on Mudeford Quay has been reignited after plans to demolish it were recommended for approval by planning officers.

An application to demolish the 300-year-old Little Haven cottage has sparked dozens of objections from concerned residents.

The cottage, which is owned by former leader of Christchurch council, Alan Griffiths, would be demolished and a three-bedroom property built in its place.

Developers say the cottage, which forms part of a row of former wash-houses in the conservation area is in a poor state and unfit for domestic use.

A similar development was refused by Christchurch council’s planning committee in 2012 and a subsequent appeal was dismissed by a planning inspector in 2013.

The new plans will go before Christchurch council’s planning committee on Thursday evening.

Penny Simpson, who will represent Christchurch Conservation Trust at the meeting, told the Daily Echo the plans had not been revised sufficiently.

She said: “This development fails to preserve the character of the area.

“We are a conservation area and this piecemeal demolition of important buildings is unacceptable.”

She added: “Although they have modified the proposal it’s a tweak rather than an overhaul. We are losing our sense of place and history.”

Christchurch Citizens Association has also objected to the controversial plans, calling the development ‘out-of-character’.

In total, 51 letters of objection have been submitted, raising concerns about the impact on the historical and tourist part of the quay, the scale of the building, and the value of the building, which is locally listed.

An applicant’s planning report from architects BrightSpace says it would-n’t be practical or economically viable to refurbish the existing building.

And to address concerns raised by the planning inspector previously, the development does not include the first floor plans which formed part of the scheme in 2012.

A heritage assessment supplied as part of the application concludes the building ‘cannot credibly be regarded as a building of any real architectural or historic interest’.

The meeting will take place at 6pm at the Civic Offices in Christchurch.