POOLE council’s cabinet has backed £20 million plans to refurbish four of its Old Town tower blocks.

Councillors unanimously supported the renovation programme for its “tired” 1960s flats on Tuesday, describing their current state as “grotty”.

Approval now needs to be given by the full council later this month to allow work on the blocks to start.

No significant refurbishment of Drake Court, Grenville Court, Nelson Court or Rodney Court has taken place since a three-year maintenance project was completed in 1990.

Structural investigations in 2016 found that the council’s policy of ongoing patch repairs would stop being feasible within five years and that another major modernisation programme was required.

The four blocks contain 249 flats, 215 of which are owned by the council through its arms-length management organisation Poole Housing Partnership (PHP).

The £20.5 million project will include the installation of sprinklers and the window and roof replacements.

Speaking at Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, Cllr Karen Rampton, cabinet member for housing, said: “This is a great opportunity to turn those tired looking flats into something very modern and fitting for the area and its residents.”

Councillors unanimously agreed to recommend that the refurbishment programme be approved by the full council on February 19.

Work will be delivered by Poole Housing Partnership, which manages the blocks on behalf of the council.

A council spokesman said that they would be announcing the name of the contractor in March.