Building Work Starts On Bournemouth Apartment Block

The regeneration of Bournemouth town centre passed a significant milestone as an official turf cutting heralded the formal start of building work on a five-storey apartment block.

The £12 million development, on the former council-owned surface car park at Leyton Mount, will house 64 flats and a 290 sq m (3,120 sq ft) commercial unit suitable for a café or restaurant.

Businesses, council leaders and project partners all welcomed the plan during its public consultation stages as a way of improving safety in and around the Common and rejuvenating nearby Old Christchurch Road.


The project is being led by the Bournemouth Development Company (BDC), Bournemouth Council's delivery partner for its 20-year Town Centre Master Vision. BDC, a public-private partnership between the Council and Morgan Sindall Investments, secured planning permission in 2012.

Funding for the scheme includes a £5 million investment from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA)’s Get Britain Building programme.

Duncan Johnston, BDC Development Director, said: "The redevelopment of the Leyton Mount car park will be a catalyst for improvement at Horseshoe Common and the streets, paths and open spaces that lead to and from it."

(CD/MH)