BOROUGH of Poole (BOP) planning chiefs are set to rule on the future of a former Branksome Park nursing home.

Avalon Nursing Home, Pinewood Road, has a chequered history.

Although it is no longer operated as a care home, three years ago it failed every single part of a Care Quality Commission inspection and was ordered to make immediate improvements.

It was criticised for being dirty, understaffed and inspectors found some patients had not been receiving their medication for days, with others not being helped to eat and drink sufficient amounts.

However, a follow-up inspection carried out the next year revealed standards of care at the home, which is within a conservation area, had improved significantly.

Now developers want the council to officially sanction a change of use from care home to House in Multiple Occupation (HMO).

The applicant, Bourne Homes Ltd, wants permission for 18 separate bedrooms.

Some neighbours are opposed to this move, citing HMOs as inappropriate for conservation areas and liable to cause anti-social behaviour.

Westminster Road East resident Bryan Johnson said: "HMO use is well known to encourage antisocial behaviour, noise and general disturbance to residential areas."

Meanwhile, Pinewood Road resident Jeremy Watts said: "I object to the application because I believe that 18 unrelated occupants each with their own group of family and friends is too high a concentration of movements to and from such a building and will result in significant increase in traffic and associated noise."

Already this year BOP's planning committee has been asked to rule on the future of three other care homes.

In February permission was granted to develop 14 apartments at the Bessborough Road care home site.

Meanwhile, in March an application for change of use, from care home to house in multiple occupation, at Sandringham House Nursing Home was refused.

Then, in September, the committee resolved to approve an application to build 12 flats at the Pinewood Tower Rest Home site.

BOP planning case officer Steve Llewellyn, in the report accompanying the Avalon Nursing Home application, concludes: "The applicant has submitted sufficient information in support of the proposal to demonstrate that the site or premises is no longer capable of accommodating a commercially viable care home in accordance with Policy PCS7."

Policy PCS7, which was adopted into the Poole Core Strategy planning blueprint in 2009, was implemented in a bid to resist the loss of care homes and community facilities.

Mr Llewellyn said: "The proposal would enhance the visual appearance of the site and its contribution to the character and appearance of the Avenue Conservation Area and would not harm the residential character of Pinewood Road."

The application will be heard at BOP's planning committee meeting, Civic Centre, Poole, on Thursday.