Campaigners hope to get a Liverpool city centre roller rink building listed to protect it from plans to knock it down for student accommodation.

Love Canning, a forum representing those who live in the Georgian Quarter , is set to apply for the community asset listing after supporters met to discuss proposals for the old Rodney Youth Centre.

If they are successful the site, on the Mulberry Street/Myrtle Street junction, would be afforded extra protection against efforts to demolish it.

Around 50 people attended an emergency public meeting at the Anglican Cathedral on last night, held to debate residents’ views on the planning bid.

Detailed designs submitted to city planners reveal the developer’s wish to demolish the 1932-built building, which currently hosts a ground floor furniture shop, in order to create a 276-studio room student block.

The plot also includes the former Avis car hire garage next door to old Ritz Roller Rink, which became Rodney Youth Centre in the 1960s.

Following the meeting, Love Canning’s honorary secretary Emlyn Williams said an application would be made to list the building with Historic England.

He said: “The meeting welcomed the emergence and recognised the importance of a thriving higher education presence within the city, but expressed concern at proposals which sought to shoe-horn large numbers of students into the area.

“Only a couple of weeks ago many of those attending had been discussing a similar proposal to house 109 students in Falkner Street – some 400 yards away – and this on top of some 3,000 students are already housed within purpose-built accommodation in the immediate locality.”

While he said the group welcomed students living in the area, adding they brought a “buzz” to the community, Dr Williams argued the former skating rink could be kept and used for other purposes.

He said: “The council’s policy set out in 2014 states clearly that new developments should fit in with the streetscape, that there is need to encourage families to return to city centre living. It recognises that in the Neighbourhood Area heritage should be promoted and treasured whenever practical.

“The proposals outlined in this planning application are unacceptable. The style, cladding and height of the building are out of keeping with the streetscape. Much of the existing building could be retained and returned to use as an asset to the community. It was agreed that the forum seek to have it spot-listed by Historic England.”

According to Historic England, the body that oversees the nation’s heritage register, listing the building can “make sure that the character of the asset in question is protected through the planning system, to allow it to be passed on to future generations”.