PLANS by former Cherries manager Harry Redknapp to demolish a Bournemouth hotel have been rejected.

And one councillor described the proposed replacement block as "soulless" at a planning board meeting.

It is the second application by Pierfront Developments Ltd, directors Harry and his wife Sandra, to knock down the former Belgravia Hotel at 56 Christchurch Road, which currently contains 24 bedsits.

The previous bid fell foul of heritage regulations, as the loss of the Victorian villa-style building was deemed to cause "substantial harm" to the East Cliff Conservation Area.

On Monday the board was told by planning consultant Ken Parke that the existing building's faux mansard roof was reason enough to diminish its heritage value.

"If we came to you with this large box mansard roof you would never grant planning permission," he said.

"Just because a building has a fresh coat of paint on it does not make it of historic significance."

Mr Parke also pointed out the reduced scale of the proposed replacement building - a four-storey block of 21 mostly two-bedroom flats, with three houses replacing a detached former coaching house to the rear.

It was pointed out that the applicant's own heritage report had deemed the roof to be "broadly sympathetic".

Cllr Stephen Bartlett said he thought the new block had a "pleasing" design, and Cllr Sue Anderson said: "We can't continue to protect every little bit, there is a massive amount of land there.

"If this site was in the suburbs that plot would be filled with flats from front to back."

However Cllr Christopher Wakefield said: "Personally speaking I feel the new building compared to this one is soulless.

"There has been stuff heading up to the sky around the town. Why can't we keep some of our lovely old buildings."

Board chairman David Kelsey echoed his comments, adding: "There are 21 people living in that building already. We would not be gaining a great deal of new accommodation.

"Where are those people supposed to go, it is their home."

Bournemouth Civic Society described the proposed replacement as "overlarge" and "badly put together".