THE planning application for more than 100 ‘affordable’ homes next to a Poole primary school has been submitted.

BCP Council has lodged its plans for the Hillbourne site which forms part of a wider multi-million project to rebuild the Kitchener Crescent school.

Cabinet member for housing, councillor Bob Lawton, said the scheme would provide “much-needed” affordable housing alongside new sheltered accommodation.

Funding for the project, which is being managed by Poole Housing Partnership, was approved by Poole council in 2018 before its abolition a year later.

The construction of the 110 homes on the edges of the Hillbourne site will part-subsidise the £9 million rebuild of the school.

And with the new school expected to be finished later this year, plans have now been submitted for the surrounding homes.

Forty two-bed and 41 three-bed houses are proposed alongside a block of 29 sheltered flats.

A total of 184 parking spaces will be spread across the development which will be split either side of the new school building.

All of these would be made available on a mix of affordable rent and shared ownership arrangements through Poole Housing Partnership.

The council’s cabinet member for housing, councillor Bob Lawton, said the homes would give “local people the opportunity to get on the property ladder”.

“We are committed to delivering much needed affordable housing for local people including good quality family homes and accommodation suitable for older residents,” he said.

"The scheme will provide a mix of affordable rented as well as shared ownership giving local people the opportunity to get on the property ladder.”

The council said the new school building was still on track to open this autumn and that, should planning permission for the homes be granted, this part of the project could start in May next year.

Should this happen, the first phase of the housing development is expected to be completed by summer 2024.

Council planning officers will consider the application in the coming weeks.