Flats and homeless hostel development planned for Bournemouth

Work on a council project to build more than 100 flats and a homeless hostel in Bournemouth is set to begin in September.

Planning permission for the multi-million pound scheme of mostly affordable accommodation was granted last week.

And BCP Council has now put out a £27.5 million contract for the construction of the for blocks out to tender.

The demolition of the former Victorian villas on the site, next to the Wessex Way, has already been carried out in preparation for the four new blocks due to replace them.

Ranging in height up to nine storeys, the buildings will house 119 flats, 70 per cent of which would be made available on an affordable basis, and a 20-bed hostel for families at risk of homelessness.

The scheme was first considered by the council’s cabinet in 2019 with councillors told there was “significant demand” for housing in the area.

“This scheme will contribute to that housing need, providing the opportunity for local residents to afford to buy their own home as well as providing much-needed affordable rented and good quality, well-managed emergency accommodation for families,” the former cabinet member for housing, councillor Kieron Wilson, said at the time.

The council’s planning committee approved the scheme last week, despite warnings from a council tree officer that the buildings could lead to the loss of every tree on the site within five years, paving the way for work to start.

“I think it looks like an extremely well thought out smart development,” councillor Ann Stribley said at its meeting on Thursday. “I know if I were looking for a new home, I would be thrilled at the opportunity here.”

And the council has now put the construction contract out to tender, valuing the work at £27.5 million.

It is accepting bids until the middle of May.

A requirement is that work begins this September and it is expected to take about two years to complete.