CIVIC chiefs have unveiled plans to bulldoze a former social club and replace it with 12 affordable flats.

New Forest District Council has submitted proposals to replace the old Testwood Club, which occupies a prominent site at the junction of Salisbury Road and Hammonds Lane in Totton.

The authority, which owns the site, is seeking consent for a two and three-storey block containing a mixture of one and two-bedroom apartments.

As reported in the Daily Echo the club closed in 2018, having served the local community for around 70 years.

Members tried to keep it afloat and even set up a Friends of Testwood group in a bid to explore ways of saving the popular facility.

But the detached two-storey building went on the market in 2019 and the council’s cabinet member for housing, Cllr Jill Cleary, agreed the authority should buy the property.

The application says the community activities that took place in the building have relocated to other venues.

It adds: "The use of the club had declined over the last decade.

"Significant works and expenditure would be required to bring the building into operational use. Due to this there is no realistic prospect of any community use in the building in future.

"The local community has excellent access to other facilities in the area.

"These are being used on a regular basis and there is no evidence that local residents are lacking in access to community facilities.

"This site has previously been identified by both private and public sector organisations as being suitable for housing.

"The proposed development will provide 12 new council flats comprising six two-bed flats and six one-bed flats."

Writing on social media Totton councillor Dave Hills says: "As many will remember I fought, along with many others, to save the club before I became a councillor. Sadly it wasn't to be and I miss the place dreadfully.

"Putting that to one side I do think NFDC have done a nice job on the design.

"They could easily have plonked a boring rectangular block of flats there but have come up with something that looks good and are prepared to spend money on a quality development."

Fellow councillor Ian Murray adds: "I think the designs are fresh and interesting."