FRESH plans have been submitted for more than 80 flats on the site of a demolished church in Bournemouth.

Punshon Memorial Church, opposite the BIC, was demolished in 2015. Last Christmas the Occupy homeless sanctuary set up camp on the land.

Following their eviction, the site was in use as a temporary car park operated by Britannia Parking.

However, in the summer Bournemouth council decided to refuse permission for the facility in line with its policy to reduce the number of public car parks in the area and establish a ‘Grand Garden Walk’ through Exeter Road.

In February 2017 developer The Mast (Bournemouth) Ltd was granted outline planning permission for a scheme featuring 96 flats and two ground floor commercial units. The proposed building ranged in height between one and seven storeys.

However, the developer has now submitted revised proposals which reduce the number of flats on the site to 85. The two commercial units fronting Exeter Road would are still included in the latest scheme.

Chris Miell, of Pure Town Planning, has written a design and access statement to accompany the developer’s plans.

He said the proposed development includes a combination of “high quality” studios, one-bed and two-bed flats, as well as two-bed and three-bed duplexes.

Two levels of basement parking are proposed.

“Whilst the footprint of the revised scheme is identical to that of the extant approval, due to the reduction in unit numbers and provision of larger units throughout the development, the density of development at the site has reduced substantially - 513 dwellings per hectare to 450. Although this remains a substantial density, the reduction is considered to represent an improvement for future occupiers and more akin within surrounding flatted developments in the surrounding area,” he said.

He added: “Overall, the proposal constitutes an architectural design which would make a positive contribution to the built environment, fitting in well with the established pattern of development in the locality.”

The plans are with Bournemouth council, which will decide whether to grant planning permission to the revised proposals.