Green light for Bournemouth town centre homes
Plans for more than 100 new homes to rent in Bournemouth town centre have been approved.
The Berry Court scheme involves the replacement of the council-owned surface car park in St Peter's Road with a development of 113 high-quality apartments for the private rental market.
The transformation includes a new 217-space multi-storey car park.
At the December Planning Board meeting, Bournemouth Councillors heard the plans described as an "exemplary and sustainable development" that would expand the opportunities for much needed market rent housing in the town centre.
The scheme is being led by the Bournemouth Development Company, a regeneration partnership delivering Bournemouth Council's Town Centre Vision.
Councillor John Beesley, Leader of Bournemouth Council, said: "The Berry Court scheme is a creative solution to help address housing needs. It supports the aims of our Town Centre Vision in attracting new residents to come and live in in the heart of Bournemouth. By providing much needed, high-quality homes, the scheme will boost the vibrancy of the town centre."
Duncan Johnston, Director, Bournemouth Development Company, said: "The Berry Court scheme will enable more people to live in high-quality accommodation in the town centre, so stimulating the local economy."
Mr Johnston added that public feedback from an exhibition of plans in May 2015 had helped to develop the original design ahead of the detailed planning application being submitted in September.
In approving the scheme, Councillors granted delegated authority to the Director of Planning, in consultation with the Chair of the Planning Board, to secure the signing of a section 106 order, including an affordable housing contribution, and ensure the protection of trees on the site.
With planning permission granted, the Bournemouth Development Company aims to start ground work in spring 2016. Construction is expected to take 22 months.
The Bournemouth Development Company has already delivered the Citrus Building at Horseshoe Common, award-winning student accommodation in Madeira Road for Arts University Bournemouth and the Madeira Road multi-storey car park overlooking Wessex Way. An exhibition of plans for a further residential development, at St Stephen's Road, was held in November 2015.
Picture caption – Berry Court frontage. Picture courtesy of Brightspace Architects.
The Bournemouth Development Company is a partnership between Bournemouth Council and Morgan Sindall Investments.
As delivery partner for the Town Centre Vision, the Bournemouth Development Company is working to redevelop council-owned land assets in the town.
Under the partnership, the Council invests land assets including car parks when development is imminent. The asset investment is matched in cash value by Morgan Sindall Investments. Both partners maintain a 50% share in the assets, the partnership and the profits arising, with the share of profits reinvested in new sites, infrastructure and open space. The Bournemouth Development Company is developing sites through a holistic approach over the next 20 years, the projected life of the partnership. For more information, visit www.bournemouthdevelopmentcompany.com.
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