BCP COUNCIL has outlined its five-year housing plan which will see it spend £44.7 million building 1,000 new homes and buying 250 accommodation units to house the homeless.

The plan will be discussed at the next cabinet meeting and will also look to significantly scale up building development activity in the area from 2023.

Cllr Philip Broadhead, portfolio holder for economy and regeneration said: “This initiative ties in with BCP Council’s bold, confident and proud plan for the future, with homes being a large focus on our urban regeneration strategy.

"I am pleased to see the plans being brought forward before cabinet.”

As property prices across the conurbation continue to soar alongside the population, the demand for affordable housing is increasing.

Median house prices in the year to September 2020 were around £285,000 in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

This is above the South West regional median (£260,000) and further above the England and Wales median (£243,000).

In 2020, the median house price in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole was 9.76 times average earnings (higher than across all wider comparator areas).

Additionally, there are approximately 5,000 applicants on the housing register and homeless applications have increased by more than 15 per cent since 2019, despite the council owning more than 10,000 residential properties.

To combat the stark challenges faced by the community, the council’s Newbuild Housing and Acquisition strategy aims to build at least 1,000 homes – many of which they say will be affordable, although the exact figure has not been confirmed – in the next five years.

The delivery of the new homes will be developed on up to 33 sites across the BCP Council area.

The strategy will also include an approved spend of £44.7 million for the purchase of existing street properties to house the homeless.

The council will work with Seascape Homes and Property Ltd to purchase up to 250 additional accommodation units to be let to the homeless, care-experienced young people and those in need of good quality market rental properties.

Councillor Bob Lawton, portfolio holder for housing said: “We are committed to providing much needed affordable housing in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

"The strategy sets out how we will develop and deliver new homes to our residents and address the diverse housing needs of our population including the homeless, vulnerably housed and care home leavers.

"We look forward to building on our ambitions for the regeneration and housing provision in the BCP area.”