A NEW strategy to improve the quality of homes and tackle anti-social behaviour in Boscombe is being prepared.

Residents, businesses and community organisations will be able to have their say on fresh plans to tackle housing issues in the area.

The Homes for Boscombe strategy outlines how the council, together with support from its partners, aims to change the profile and quality of accommodation and enhance the sense of community in Boscombe.

The original Homes for Boscombe strategy ran from 2012-2015 and is now being refreshed to run from 2017-2020 alongside the Boscombe Commitment document for the Boscombe Regeneration Partnership.

The refreshed document summarises the work that has taken place to date and also provides an updated profile of Boscombe. It identifies housing as a key issue that needs to be addressed in area.

As well as improving the quality of accommodation across all tenures, the strategy aims to improve housing management and tackle anti-social behaviour.

It also aims to reduce the number of empty properties and ensure households with complex support needs are provided with appropriate support in the most appropriate location.

The strategy supports the Neighbourhood Plan in the development of housing policies.

Councillor Robert Lawton, cabinet member for housing, said: “For this strategy to be successful it’s important that the whole community, including Boscombe residents, feedback their views.

“Boscombe has huge potential for positive change. We want to take the area’s best elements and use its potential to attract investment to make positive changes to the housing types and for the community so that Boscombe becomes a better and aspirational place for people to live and put down roots.

“There has been a lot of positive work that has taken place already over the last five years, and we intend to build on that. We know we have much more work to do but - with local support we are committed to improving housing in Boscombe for the benefit of the whole community.”

Since the launch of the Homes for Boscombe Strategic Vision in 2012 over 2,000 units of accommodation have been inspected, with an estimated £460,000 invested by landlords to improve the quality of private rented sector accommodation.

The owners of the Royal Arcade have been consulted on their planning applications, which aimed to provide accommodation above shops.

The consultation will take place from now until October 6. The consultation document and online survey can be found at bournemouth.gov.uk/homesforboscombeconsultation