AMBITIOUS plans to demolish more than 100 beach huts at Canford Cliffs promenade and build 191 new ones in their place have been agreed by councillors.

Construction of the two-storey huts should start later this year, as part of Borough of Poole's (BOP) £5.4million seafront improvement scheme.

The project will include two-storey blocks of huts - with one block of 13 being in the 'Premier' and 'Executive' range. It is understood these will be at least twice the size a the standard huts.

Members of BOP's own planning committee unanimously agreed four separate applications yesterday - which also included proposals to convert the existing Canford Cliffs Pavilion into a cafe with outdoor terracing.

However, Poole Beach Hut Association chairman Bob Lister told the committee that many of his association members had voiced concerns about the project.

Addressing the councillors ahead of their unanimous decision to back the proposals, Mr Lister said: "Generally we like the plans, but with some minor alterations.

"We don't have any clear sizing for many of the huts - it was quite a shock to hear some of them will be premier and executive huts. Exactly how big will these be? How much will they cost to rent? Why has there been no public consultation?"

Mr Lister, who was the only member of the public to speak at the meeting, also queried the lack of lighting near the proposed cafe and asked for clarification on whether outside seating would be a permanent fixture, or taken in at night.

The meeting heard that the new huts would be broadly sited on the same footprint of the existing blocks, and new water taps would be installed at points along the length of the site.

BOP planning committee chairman Cllr Peter Pawlowski said: "I welcome these well-designed huts, which are a real improvement on the stark concrete stuff which is already there."