DEVELOPERS hoping to build hundreds of flats on a prime town-centre site have had their initial designs criticised as "slab-like" and "unexciting".

Redrow have been sent back to the drawing board in their bid to develop the Terrace Mount car park in Bournemouth.

And they have been asked by councillors to come up with an "iconic" building with the "wow factor".

The criticism came after Redrow presented their outline proposals for around 220 flats to councillors.

The proposals were for several buildings, one of which in particular failed to find favour with council chiefs.

In a letter to Redrow's agent, the council's head of planning and development services, Mike Holmes, said the building in question was not the elegant landmark they had hoped for.

"Terms such as slab-like, too horizontal, blocky, stark and unexciting were used," he wrote.

"Members were keen to see a 'wow factor' involved for a development that will be visible from various parts of the borough and beyond."

Under the contract Redrow exchanged with the council, the company is required to submit a planning application on or before April 17.

But councillors are now being asked to extend the deadline by five months, giving Redrow time to revise their designs.

Mr Holmes told the Echo: "There was concern about the design. It wasn't iconic enough. If you're going to have a tall building there it has to be something a bit better than we saw."

Richard Evans, spokesman for Redrow Homes, said they would continue to work closely with the council and residents to develop a scheme acceptable to the town.

"It's such an important scheme to the town that we want to make sure that we work with the council to get it right," he said.

"We want to make sure that we come up with a landmark building and a scheme that the town is proud of."

First published: April 6