The demolition of of the former nursery has taken a step closer after being shut last year.

The demolition of Binsteed Community Centre has taken a step closer after the council forced its closure last year.

The community centre in Buckland was leased to Binsteed Childcare Services, which had operated there for 30 years before Portsmouth City Council, the site owner, announced in April last year that the building would be demolished.

At the time, the council said it could not afford the £2.3m required to renovate the former Victorian school building, which was constructed in about 1870.

The council has now submitted an application to determine whether prior approval is required to demolish the site, which has been vacant since January.

Planning documents state: “The building is in a poor condition and successive surveys have indicated it is uneconomic to repair. Substantial works would be required to bring the mechanical and engineering, roof, insulation, windows, and interior decoration up to standard.”

If given the green light by the council’s planning department, roof tiles will be removed under the supervision of an ecologist in case bats are present.Asbestos identified in a survey will also be removed in line with health and safety regulations.

The community centre and adjoining modular classroom will then be demolished, with the surrounding hardstanding, including concrete and other surfaces, also removed.

The foundations will be dug out to a depth of up to one metre, although the foundation along the north side next to the Winchester Road flats will remain.

Concrete and hardcore from the demolition will be crushed on site and reused to fill the holes left by the removed foundations.

A comment from a local resident calls for work to be restricted to weekdays between 9am and 3pm.

It adds future development on the community centre site should be fore the “purpose of giving something back to the local community” rather than add more housing to an already “crowded” area with limited parking.

Suggestions include building a new community centre or nursery, extending the nearby play area, or creating an overflow car park for residents within the GD permit zone.