PLANS have been drawn up to replace the cupola on top of the Mayor's Parlour in Christchurch.

The council have put in an application with their own planning department to build a new timber cupola to match the existing.

The old town hall, which was originally known as the Market Hall, is a Grade II listed building and situated between Saxon Square and the High Street.

The domed cupola and weather vane "form a dramatic architectural feature typical of the historical period", a planning statement says.

Repairs were carried out last January after an ingress of water from a blocked gutter caused internal damage to the ceilings and walls.

A design and access statement, as part of the application, said: "It is the authority's intention to maintain the building's integrity for future generations.

"Maintaining the characteristics of the building and its visual impact on the street scene is of paramount importance, any remedial works must be carried out in a sympathetic manner."

The cupola was last replaced in the autumn of 1988 and although the current structure is "robust", internal refurbishments have revealed problems with water ingress through and around the base of the cupola.

This has resulted in several of the main timber supports having wet rot.

The new structure will replicate and maintain the style and character of the original cupola.

"Once the new structure has been constructed, it is proposed to remove and replace the existing cupola with the new one on the same day to reduce disruption to the town centre as far as practically possible."

The High Street will need to be closed to traffic as the new cupola will need to be craned onto the building.

The town hall was built in 1745 and was originally situated on the junction of Castle Street, Church Street and the High Street before being located in 1859.

Until the latter half of the 20th century, the old town hall and Civic Offices were based in Saxon Square when the Civic Offices moved to Bridge Street in 1980.

The following year, all the buildings except the Mayor's Parlour were demolished.

The Celtic cross in the square marks the back of the building before its demolition.