Bournemouth Development Company, a partnerships between Morgan Sindall and the local council, wants to build 352 apartments on the former Winter Gardens site, in what is the most ambitious development plan the seaside town has ever seen.

The plans envisage the complete transformation of the 4.89 acre site, used as a car park since the demolition of the concert hall in 2006.

One, two and three-bed apartments will be contained in four multi-storey buildings with landscaped grounds for leisure, recreation and residential amenity.

The 225 public parking spaces currently on site will be re-provided in a new below-ground car park. There will be a new piazza at the junction of Exeter and Cranborne Road.

Councillor John Beesley, Leader of Bournemouth Council, said: “Winter Gardens is a strategically important regeneration site in the town centre.

“This would be the largest project of its kind ever undertaken in Bournemouth. The scheme will be transformational, combining new homes, leisure and social infrastructure in a location where people will want to live, work and socialise.”

Bournemouth Council’s planning board will consider the application over the coming months.