Work begins on £23m neighbourhood of council homes

A £23.9m, two-year regeneration project to create a new neighbourhood in a seaside town is set to begin in June.

The nine-hectare site in Hawkwood Road in Boscombe, Bournemouth, will be transformed with 68 new council-owned homes and a community centre.

Plans also include a wellbeing and health centre, although no formal agreement is in place with the NHS.

The first phase of the development - a £4.1m community centre and path linking to Christchurch Road - is due for completion in August 2027.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council said the scheme aimed to create "better places to live, meet and spend time" while easing housing waiting lists.

Hawkwood Road Car Park is to close permanently ahead of the first phase, which is being funded by the government through the Towns Fund for Boscombe.

The second phase of the project is due for completion in August 2028.

A meeting of the full council approved the scheme in February, after reclassifying the ground floor unit, which was originally meant for a medical facility, for commercial use because no agreement was in place with the NHS.

Housing councillor Kieron Wilson said: "This is a really exciting milestone for Boscombe.

"We're starting to turn plans into something people can actually see and feel in their everyday lives.

"These works are a key step towards building the homes people need, along with better public spaces and facilities for the community.

"We want to create a neighbourhood that people feel proud of – somewhere that works better for residents now and for the future."