PLANNING chiefs are studying another application to provide more housing on a town centre site occupied by a former cinema that is now flats.

New Forest District Council has received a proposal to remove the building's sloping roof and replace it with an extra storey containing one-bedroom apartments.

It comes almost two years after the council approved plans to build four flats beside the former picture palace in Junction Road, Totton.

The Savoy cinema opened in 1935 and showed the latest releases until it closed in 1961. After being used to stage other forms of entertainment it became a factory in 1977 and was later turned into a block of flats known as Savoy House.

In 2015 tenants were moved out of the council-owned flats following the discovery of structural faults, plus problems relating to fire safety and asbestos.

The following year the building was bought by Roxan Homes, made safe, and renamed The Old Cinema.

In 2019 the company was given planning permission to build four flats on part of the site, which is next to the Asda supermarket in Maynard Road.

Now the council has received an application to remove part of the cinema's roof and replace it with six one-bedroom apartments.

The application says: "The proposed scheme makes efficient and effective use of land and vacant roof space whilst responding positively to the character, appearance and variety of its surrounding environment.

"The appearance of the dwellings has been informed by the neighbouring properties."