A DEVELOPER has once again put forward plans to build on the site of a former doctor's surgery.

Holton Homes is again seeking permission to build a three storey block of nine flats at 40 Florence Road, once home to Boscombe Manor Medical Surgery.

A previous, similar scheme was rejected in November last year after being deferred due to uproar from Pokesdown residents hoping to protect the original Victorian villa from demolition.

Councillors had backed residents at a planning board meeting, with chairman Cllr David Kelsey saying: "I hope the developer will not do anything to damage the building."

However the following month Holton Homes applied to demolish the building under permitted development legislation, and since the building had no formal heritage designation, council officers were unable to object.

The developer has submitted few details of its scheme at this stage.

Its application states that it is seeking "approval of reserved matters for demolition of doctors surgery and erection of a two/three storey block of nine flats" for its previous outline application, although this was rejected.

Councillors had criticised the design of the proposed block, with planning board member Cllr Stephen Bartlett saying the flats were “very, very small”.

There was a campaign by residents and Bournemouth Civic Society to preserve the building, and others in the area which were likewise only protected by being locally-listed in the Boscombe and Pokesdown Neighbourhood Plan, which has yet to come into force.

In December the Civic Society wrote to the council requesting it use its Article 4 Direction powers to protect the villa, which was well regarded for its period features, as well as other unofficial heritage assets around the town.

In a letter historic buildings consultant James Weir said: “We and a number of community groups are concerned by these back-door attempts to demolish heritage assets.”

Planning board chairman David Kelsey has said it is a “nuisance” that members can refuse an application on heritage grounds, only to see the building demolished anyway.

The council’s planning department said Article 4 Direction powers were only to be used in “exceptional cases”, according to national guidance.