A FAILED Boscombe care home will be converted into flats.

Merstone Hall, at 20-22 Florence Road, closed last year after “serious concerns” were raised by inspectors, and it was placed in special measures.

Now it will be altered to house 28 flats, of which 19 will be one-bed, five two-bed and four studios. There will be 21 unallocated parking spaces.

Some initial concerns were raised by council planners about the design of the external alterations and addition of an extra floor, but the plans were altered by applicant HB Properties & Lettings to remove these features.

In a report, planning officer Colin Tebb said the loss of a care home facility had been deemed acceptable. He said there had been "consultation with Brian Langridge, commissioning manager, who confirmed that the former care home was realistically no longer ‘fit-for-purpose’ and too costly to meet current or emerging care home regulations".

The council says the building currently "appears to be used for low cost rental rooms from a notice board outside".

Merstone Hall closed last year after three weeks in special measures.

An initial unannounced three-day inspection by the Care Quality Commission found a number of major failings, including a lack of staff on duty, most members of staff not speaking English as a first language, inaccurate records and a lack of effort made to reposition residents at risk of developing pressure ulcers.

Inspectors found 12 breaches of regulations and ordered improvements be made.

However, a return visit found that not enough had been done to address their concerns. Then, deputy chief inspector Debbie Ivanova said: Our inspectors met with the provider and registered manager of the service on March 13 to express our serious concerns and explain what enforcement action we were considering. The provider subsequently submitted an application to cancel the location of the service and the home closed on March 28.”