TOURISM chiefs have voiced concern over a council decision to partially demolish Bournemouth’s hated Waterfront Imax building before fully marketing the prime seafront site.

Earlier this week cabinet members awarded a design-and-build contract to Morgan Sindall Construction rather than seeking the usual three to six tenders for the job, short-cutting the usual competitive tendering process.

In a report, project manager Sarah May said the normal process was “not feasible due to the short lead-in time and the requirement to complete a design-and-build works contract within a 12-month programme.”

Work will start this spring and a redeveloped building could open 12 months later. The “interim” scheme could last for between ten and 15 years until the property market improves.

Financial details of the scheme have not been revealed, but the council has pledged to keep the overall budget to £8.5 million.

Representatives from Bournemouth Tourism Management Board attended a cabinet meeting earlier this week, at which members backed the Waterfront plans, but they could not make their feelings known.

In a statement later, they said: “The local tourism industry shares the public’s desire to have an iconic building with a high quality attraction on this key site.

“However, the trade believes that the tried and tested way to achieve this is to fully market the opportunity in order to attract the right family offer in the building before committing such major expenditure on redevelopment work.

“The board applauds the council’s actions in gaining control of the Waterfront building and fully supports its desire to move ahead with improving this important site.”

• Plans for the interim scheme, which involves cutting the building down to size and creating “a quality, commercially viable all-weather leisure attraction”, will go before the council’s planning board on Monday.