PLANS to demolish the former Wootton Girls' Own Club and build student flats have been submitted.

Developer Haysport Properties Ltd wants to knock down the Victorian building, which is hidden away down a driveway off Wootton Mount in Bournemouth town centre, and build a five-storey block.

Wootton House, as it is currently known, contains six flats currently used by students. The new block would contain 31 flats and have associated parking.

A planning statement submitted by the developer states: "The proposal seeks to gain maximum use of what is a currently under developed site and bring it into productive use through taking advantage of its excellent transport links and proximity to local services.

"The existing residential building is currently underused and ill-suited to modern living and is to be demolished making way for modern properties commensurate with today’s needs.

"The 31 proposed student units are to be of a standard expected of a modern student accommodation."

The existing building's heritage with the Girls' Own Club is currently highlighted in a stone sign across its façade.

The club was a youth group for girls during the 1920s and 30s, an equivalent to the Boy Scouts but with an emphasis on domestic tasks, arts and crafts and sport.

A previous, similar application was withdrawn in January.

The applicant says its new attempt has fewer beds and is a 25 per cent reduction in building footprint than that scheme, and that students will have "direct access to generous private outdoor space in the form of gardens and balcony space".

The statement says: "The location of the site is ideal for student accommodation due to its proximity to Landsdowne campus, Bournemouth town centre and all the amenities contained there.

"There is an opportunity to create modern well designed residences for which there is a strong local need."

The area of Christchurch Road and the Lansdowne has been subject to numerous applications for student accommodation in recent years, with many projects completed or under way.

Among them, Bournemouth council built blocks in Madeira Road rising to seven storeys and containing 378 beds, as part its partnership with Morgan Sindall Investments.

Watkin Jones Group is currently building some 930 student rooms in Oxford Road and Christchurch Road.