PLANS to demolish a historic former mansion in Poole and replace it with a five-storey block of 25 apartments with basement parking are set to be refused.

Poole council’s planning committee will consider the proposals for Wilderton House on Thursday but have been recommended to reject the application due to concerns about the heritage impact of the building’s loss.

The Wilderton Road property, which sits in the Branksome Park and Chine Gardens conservation area, is described as “dilapidated” and as requiring repairs estimated at more than £2 million, prompting the request for its demolition and replacement.

The house was converted from a single home into seven flats in 1958 and sold to individuals along with a covenant agreeing that they had a mutual arrangement for maintenance and repairs to the whole building.

However, this was not required of subsequent flat buyers and the planning application says that it is “unclear” if any of the current owners have signed an agreement.

“As the individual flats are freehold flats, these are no longer capable of being mortgaged and are, therefore, generally unsaleable except to a limited number of investor purchasers.

“But in view of the complete lack of maintenance arrangements, and the enforceability of them, couple with the physical condition of this building, it is fair to say that these flats are now unsaleable.”

Submitted by Highdrive Property, the planning application seeks permission to demolish the building and to build a five-storey block of 25 apartments, together with basement parking, in its place.

Despite council planning officers accepting the position that the building’s condition has left “continued occupancy questionable” and it facing a repair bill of “in excess of £2 million”, they have recommended that councillors refuse to grant planning permission for the new scheme.

A report to the council’s planning committee, which will consider the application on Thursday, says: “The significance of the locally listed building as a heritage asset is such that its loss would result in significant harm to the conservation area.

“Due to the size, scale and design of the proposed building failing to better reveal the significance of the heritage asset, the harm of the loss is not outweighed by the limited public benefits of the scheme.

“The proposals would therefore result in such harm as to be unacceptable.”