A FORMER funeral directors’ place that was next to ‘the south coast’s premiere venue for naturist swingers’ could become a dance studio. 

The old Co-Operative Funeralcare in Windham Road in Springbourne, Bournemouth closed about four years ago. 

But now the Windham Community Centre for Arts has applied to change the use of the building from a funeral directors’ building to three small venues for music practice on the ground floor. 

Meanwhile, a performance arts practice space is also being proposed for the first floor of the detached two storey building. 

Former Co-Op Funeralcare home in Windham RoadFormer Co-Op Funeralcare home in Windham Road (Image: Google Maps)

The dance and music studio could be placed next to Temptations, an adult spa and sauna described as “the south coast’s premiere venue for naturist swingers”. 

Tanner and Tilley planning consultants said: “The layout of the ground floor will be split into three small music practice rooms to facilitate participants to practice various types of band music ranging from folk, classical, rock and or other forms of mantra. 

“The first-floor accommodation shall be used as a practice performance space such as dancing. No live music shall be played at any time in this area.” 

The applicant is proposing the opening hours to be Monday to Thursday, and Sunday, from 9am to 9pm and Friday and Saturday 9am to 11am. 

On noise, the planning consultant said: “Whilst the proposal is in a partial residential area, there are other noise generating activities which occur nearby including the tire replacement garage, and the high frequency train route behind.” 

They added the plans would “breathe some investment into an old, tired and rather dilapidated looking current building”. 

“The property was a funeral directors before becoming vacant for a period of time, and this use would have been associated with a certain degree of coming and goings to the property” they added. 

“The use as a community facility; rehearsal space, studio, etc. will have movements associated with it, but not to a level that will result in an undue amount of disturbance, and nothing that will be particularly noticeable to its neighbours.” 

A decision on the application will be made by BCP Council in due course.