A SEASIDE hotel will be bulldozed to make way for a major landmark development on Bournemouth’s West Cliff.

Planners granted outline permission to replace the Bournemouth International Hotel and Ocean Palace restaurant on Priory Hill with a larger restaurant, 57 self-contained flats, nine holiday apartments and underground parking after the council’s planning board chairman David Kelsey used his casting vote.

After hearing impassioned objections from Bournemouth Civic Society, a decision on the major development scheme was split with five members voting in favour of Cllr Beryl Baxter’s move to grant approval and five voting against.

A Civic Society deputation warned that the development, which will be up to six storeys high, would have ‘a negative effect’ on the West Cliff but John Montgomery, director of Tanner and Tilley Town Planning Consultants, said the Bourne-mouth International Hotel was in need of major investment and the owners were planning to retire soon.

He added: “This site will contribute to the regeneration of the town centre.”

Tourism director Mark Smith supported the scheme and planning officer Steve Davies recommended that outline permission should be granted.

He said: “What is being proposed makes up for what is being lost; it will fit quite comfortably into the skyline.”

But Cllr Mike Green described the proposed development as ‘Lego towers’, adding: “It doesn’t work for me. I don’t feel happy to support it.”

Cllr Roger West said: “I’m not happy with losing a major hotel to holiday lets. This is a site where we could have really first-class hotel accommodation. It doesn’t inspire me at all.”

Cllr Sue Anderson said: “I don’t think it will fit in at all”, while board vice-chairman Cllr Ron Whittaker said he liked the proposals.