POOLE council will start the official process of obtaining a development partner for its largest regeneration scheme to date in the autumn.

Its current masterplan for the £134m project will see more than 400 homes, a new leisure centre, bus station, and hotel built in the area known as Town Centre North.

The proposals feature the redevelopment of the council’s own assets, including Kingland Road car park, Seldown car park and coach park, and the Dolphin Swimming Poole site.

The council also aspires to create a traffic-free public space fronting the Lighthouse, with space for bars and restaurants, and remodel Kingland Road to reduce the dominance of traffic.

A draft cabinet report has been prepared by strategic director Kate Ryan and will be discussed by members of the Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday.

Ms Ryan said the scheme provided an opportunity to “transform Poole town centre”.

First, the council will have to spend up to £1.4m to procure a development partner to take the project forward.

The “anchor” of the scheme will be the new leisure centre, according to Ms Ryan’s report. Poole residents were recently consulted on the council’s preferred design for the new facility.

“This investment is considered to be a priority to help ensure the success of the overall redevelopment proposal and enhance the vision of the town centre as an attractive place to visit and live,” she said.

A new bus station is “much needed”, with almost 900 bus and coach movements a day according to the report.

Regarding the proposed office building, the council prefers a national company with “a local foothold” to occupy the space. Officers have had “productive” initial conversations with potential private sector occupiers, Ms Ryan said.

However, “although essential to the vision, the closure of Kingland Road is not easy,” she said, as it would add “considerable traffic pressure to the remaining routes”.

"Signal-based junction improvements” would be required along the A35 between the George and Mount Pleasant Road, as well as an improved signal junction at Seldown Bridge/Kingland Road to reduce the impact.

Commenting on the benefits of the scheme, she said: “This council-led approach will build confidence and certainty, encouraging private sector development and other public sector investment over time. It will also achieve wider economic benefits including economic spend and gross value added, for example the hotel and food and beverage offer would produce approximately 100 jobs.”

She added: "We’ll be asking the public for further feedback on the proposals for Town Centre North later in the year."