MINISTER for Housing Kris Hopkins MP took a tour around Poole to see the building of new homes for the town’s residents.

Mr Hopkins was shown around the largest regeneration site in the South West, made up of 26 hectares of brownfield land including Carters Quay, a privately led housing development under construction, and the mixed housing scheme on Old School Place.

Borough of Poole has invested more than £30million in the Twin Sails Bridge, which proved the catalyst to updating the area with new homes, shops, businesses and community facilities.

The Housing Minister also looked at the former power station site, owned by JJ Gallagher Limited. The company has submitted an expression of interest to the Housing and Communities Agency for support under the Large Scale Infrastructure Fund to build at least 1,500 homes on this site.

Kris Hopkins said: “It was great to visit Lower Hamworthy and see for myself how local people are bringing the site of a former power station back into use to deliver 1,500 new homes.

“We’re determined to do all we can to get Britain building and a key part of that is bringing formerly used brownfield land back into use.

“And we are doing our part in government, having identified enough formerly used, public sector land for 100,000 homes. So I was pleased to see how Poole council, working with developers, are making the most of the brownfield land in the area to deliver the homes their community wants.”

Cllr Elaine Atkinson, leader of the council at Borough of Poole, said: “The visit was a great opportunity to show the minister the progress being made to deliver new homes in Poole.

“A significant number of these properties have been purchased with help from the government’s Help to Buy scheme.

“The council is working closely with its partners to bring forward housing schemes at the earliest opportunity.

“Our strength and success of working in partnership can be demonstrated by the government’s recent announcement to award Dorset LEP £66.86million to improve infrastructure around the Port of Poole as well as Bournemouth Airport.”