Construction is now underway on a new development, which will provide 24 energy efficient apartments for people who are currently homeless or who require a stepping-stone between hostels and independent living.
On Monday 11 July AJC Group began work on the BCP Council led project, situated on the site of the former Bourne Valley Community Centre on Herbert Avenue, Poole.
The 24 new homes will be built to Passivhaus standards, with negligible energy demand in line with the council’s responsibility to reduce fuel poverty and declared climate and ecological emergency. Three of the flats will also be wheelchair accessible. Plans include ten parking spaces and three accessible parking spaces, a bike store and a small communal garden.
Cllr Karen Rampton, Portfolio Holder People and Homes said: “I am absolutely delighted to see construction start on this exciting new housing project. It will provide green homes for families in a great community and neighbourhood, with plenty of local and accessible amenities. I cannot wait to see the result.”
BCP Council’s vision is to end homelessness in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and give everyone a safe place to live that they can call home. This project will reduce the dependency on temporary Bed and Breakfast accommodation, instead providing a more suitable housing solution that can include support to stop the cycle of homelessness.
David Cracklen, Director at AJC Group said: “Working with BCP to deliver this development of much needed accommodation for the homeless resonates with our core values as a development company specialising in driving the social benefits of affordable housing. We are a local family company based in Poole employing local staff and supply chain, ensuring the positive social value of delivering this particular site isn’t limited to the end product, it has multiple positive knock-on effects to the area.”
Cllr Phillip Broadhead Deputy Leader BCP Council and Portfolio Holder for Development, Growth and Regeneration said: “We’ve got a super-ambitious house building programme. We’re aiming to build over 1,000 directly delivered homes over the next few years, and this particular development is delivering for some of our most vulnerable in society; keeping jobs in the local economy, helping our residents and doing it in a way that sets high eco standards as well.”