Vassall Centre in Fishponds, Bristol, to be demolished

Bristol Charities has owned the Vassall Centre in Fishponds since May 2021

A building once used as a base for US soldiers in World War Two is set to be demolished.

The Vassall Centre in Fishponds, will be replaced with a community hub and homes for elderly and disabled people.

Bristol City Council said the positives "far outweighed" the negatives.

Councillor Richard Eddy said: "Everybody has to accept that we are talking of an adapted 1940s building which isn't environmentally, or practically, friendly."

The plans attracted 91 objections, with concerns including the scale of the proposed three-storey buildings, overshadowing of neighbouring properties, loss of privacy and parking and public transport issues.

Bristol Charities' application was previously deferred so a site visit could take place, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Bristol City Council said the positives of the project far outweighed the negatives

In recent years, the centre has been home to a range of charities, and used as a shared workspace and to stage events.

Consent has been granted for the first phase of the plans, which includes building 40 apartments for elderly people, five apartments for people with learning difficulties, an office, community centre, nursery and cafe.

The second phase involves plans for 41 affordable homes.

Mr Eddy praised the developer's "imaginative scheme" but some neighbours have expressed concerns and councillor Andrew Varney expressed his sympathy for residents, while backing the plans.

"When you live in a community for a long time, big change is often difficult to accept, but a three-storey development in an urban context is not unacceptable.

"It is a brownfield site, a sustainable location, it's replacing outdated buildings, improving community facilities and providing much-needed elderly and specialist accommodation.

"In many ways it is an exemplary development," he said.