A MAJOR £4million redevelopment project in Poole which will add 22 new council homes could begin later this year.

Plans have already been approved to demolish Cynthia House sheltered housing block and replace it with a mixtures of three-bed houses and one and two-bed flats.

As reported, Poole Housing Partnership, the arms-length organisation set up to manage council housing in Poole, obtained planning permission for the scheme in February.

Now the local authority is seeking a contractor to deliver its "affordable housing" scheme.

Read more about the project's history

A contract worth £4million is available for the tender, with the deadline for bids closing on August 3.

The date listed for the start of the contract is November 1, meaning work on demolishing Cynthia House could be less than three months away.

An end date for the project is given as November 2022, so it appears it will be two years before Poole Housing Partnership will be handed the keys to all of the new homes.

Councillor Kieron Wilson, BCP Council's portfolio holder for housing, said: “Across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole there is high demand for housing of all tenure types and specifically for more affordable housing. With so many households waiting on our Housing Register for suitable accommodation, we are committed to making use of the surplus land we own, utilising our funding and borrowing abilities to provide good quality housing for residents.

“The Cynthia House development site is one example of an extensive pipeline of housing projects we are bringing forward over the next few years. The site aims to deliver 22 new homes to add to our Housing stock including, 10 three bed houses and 12 one and two bedroom flats.

“This will provide much needed homes for those on the waiting on the Housing Register.

“In line with our declared climate and ecological emergency, they will be built to a high environmental standard and will deliver homes that are not just affordable in terms of rent levels but also in terms of running costs and living standards.’’