PLANS to convert a disused care home in Bournemouth into a block of ‘affordable’ flats have been approved.

BCP Council put forward proposals to redevelop the Templeman House site in Leedam Road in March, saying the building was “not fit for purpose”.

And the application has now been approved by its planning committee with councillors welcoming the new ‘affordable’ homes.

The building was leased by the council for use as a care home until 2018 when it closed over concerns it did not meet modern requirements for such a facility.

In January this year a consultation was launched over plans to redevelop the site to house a four-storey block of 27 ‘affordable’ flats.

Its plans were formalised and submitted in March with initial proposals for a footpath and cycleway linking to Hillview Road dropped due to “overwhelming” opposition from people living nearby.

“The demolition of the Templeman House care home and development of 27 new affordable flats will make use of a site which has been vacant since the decommissioning of the care home,” a statement submitted with the application said.

“The proposed flats will become home to local single people, couples and/or small families.”

The application attracted 18 letters of objection with concerns raised about the scale of the proposed building and it being out of character for the area.

Despite this, members of the council’s planning committee were asked to grant planning permission at their meeting earlier this month.

“It is acknowledged that the proposed building is higher than its immediate neighbours,” a report by planning officer Charles Raven said. “However, given the need for affordable housing, the fact that the building would be contained within a treed site rather than forming part of a street scene, and revisions negotiated, the height as proposed would be acceptable.

This position was backed by the planning committee which agreed to approve the scheme.

A motion by councillor Marion Le Poidevin to grant planning permission was seconded by councillor Tony Trent before being approved by the committee.

“The design is good, I love the fact it is 100 per cent affordable and I equally love that it’s Passivhaus standard and it sets an exemplar for future developments in this area,” she said.