PLANS to demolish a house and build eight apartments have been refused, with officers describing the scheme as overdevelopment.

The proposals, to knock down the existing house in Lower Blandford Road, Broadstone, and replace it with the block of flats were rejected by BCP Council officers.

A design and access statement submitted by Morgan Carey Architects said: “This application seeks to replace an existing 1950’s dwelling on a large plot with eight modestly sized apartments.

“The design has been evolved following pre-application advice and presents a design that reflects the ‘arts/crafts’ nature of the existing dwelling.

“The building is articulated with details such as projecting bay windows, dormers and balconies to create a high-quality development and best use of land within the defined settlement boundary.”

However, while planning officers accepted the principle of development to replace the current building, they found that the proposed scheme ‘would result in the overdevelopment of the site’.

A case officer’s report said: “The proposal would be unduly dominant and the proposed building would sit uncomfortably in its setting, failing to respect the prevailing and established pattern of development that is characteristic of the area.

“The proposed scheme would intensify the residential use of the site, making greater demand on the available space and overall it is considered that the proposal, due to its combined height, mass, footprint and siting, would result in a cramped and overly developed scheme that is not characteristic of the area.”

There were 11 neighbour objections submitted, with the BCP arboricultural and biodiversity officers objecting, too.

The report also found that the scheme had not done enough to demonstrate that trees in the area would not be harmed or impacted by the new development.

This includes a lack of an arboricultural method statement submitted with the plans to show how the proposed scheme could be done without doing this.

It found that while tweaks to the plans had been made following preapplication advice were a ‘positive step’, the scheme still has a ‘poor relationship with trees and does not respond well to the natural features on site’.