PLANS for a multi-million pound development to transform a derelict riverside site in Christchurch have been revealed.

Proposals for the 5.5 acre site behind the Christchurch Retail Park, off Barrack Road include a large food store, extensive on-site parking, a public riverside walk and piazza, public open space, community park facility, a low-cost gym and extended cycle routes and footpaths.

They also include a riverside coffee shop, a pedestrian/cycle bridge across the river to Bournemouth as well as 30 units of affordable housing with a separate access road. And the construction of a large supermarket – believed to be either a Morrisons or an Asda – will create more than 300 local jobs with hopes the development will also lead to a boost in trade for stores at the retail park.

Bournemouth-based Quantum Group bought the former QinetiQ site at Bailey Drive in August. The land, once used an MoD testing facility and the site where the famous Bailey Bridge was designed and built, has extensive river frontage, something Quantum want to take advantage of.

For as well as creating a pontoon – primarily for kayakers and canoeists – they also plan to run a ferry service during the holiday season down the river to Christchurch.

Members of the public and local residents are invited to view the plans at an open day held at the site next Saturday (29/10) where people can see the first artists’ impressions of the potential development.

Henry Lumby, partner at Quantum Group, said: “The site has not been accessible to the public for so many years. Many people do not even know this piece of land exists, so it will be a real eye-opener. Currently it is a bit of an eyesore but it could be really quite stunning and a real resource for the borough. We hope people get behind it.”

Simon Hammond, director at Quantum, said currently more than 50 per cent of Christchurch residents went outside of the borough to do their supermarket shopping.

“The town’s main food retailers – Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Lidl and Marks and Spencer – are mainly located to the east of the town,” he said. “There is no supermarket servicing residents to the west of the town, other than Tesco at Castle Lane in Bournemouth. The west of the borough is so large but does seem to be missing out.”

Simon, who has spent time speaking to residents in West Christchurch, said the response so far had been “overwhelmingly positive”.

“We feel this will be of huge benefit to Christchurch in terms of creating new jobs, opening up riverside amenity space and providing more retail choice for consumers”, he added.

Next Saturday’s open day will be at the Bailey Drive site from noon until 4pm.