PLANS to rebuild a warehouse that was significantly damaged in a huge fire last year have been lodged.

The Dormy House Furniture and Furnishings Limited and Rosedale Property Holdings Limited have applied to Test Valley Borough Council to replace its building in Walworth Business Park.

The fire started in The Dormy House at around 9am on March 13, last year. More than 100 firefighters from multiple crews rushed to the scene to battle the blaze.

At the time a fire service spokesperson said the fire had caused approximately 90 per cent damage to the main building and had spread to the side of an adjacent property.

READ MORE: The Dormy House Andover: Pictures show devastation after fire

Andover Advertiser: At the time of the incident, the fire service believed that it was ‘caused by an electrical fault, or the overheating of electrical equipment’.

The current planning application states that The Dormy House is “beyond economic repair”.

It continued: “The proposed high-quality replacement building would make more efficient and effective use of the application site. Furthermore, it would contribute positively to local employment opportunities and the general economic wellbeing of Andover.”

The applicant sought pre-application advice from the council which stated that it had ‘no objection in principle’ but this would be subject to the “submission of street scene elevation drawings to confirm that the increased height of the proposed building would respect and complement the height of the buildings in the vicinity”.

SEE ALSO: Cause of Andover fire believed to be electrical fault

With the company adding: “The applicant and their project team have carefully listened to the guidance received from the council during the evolution and formulation of the proposed development.”

The plans also include ancillary office accommodation, associated parking, and refuse and recycling storage.

Concerns have been raised by Hampshire County Council as the flood authority, which stated despite a new soakaway – buried drainage feature – being included in the plans, infiltration testing results and winter groundwater levels had not been recorded at the site. The authority has insisted this should take place to determine the soakaway design.

Andover Town Council echoed this concern during a meeting of its planning committee earlier in March.