HIGH Street pilot regeneration projects are being planned for Highcliffe, Kinson and Broadstone under BCP council proposals.

The pilot will see £100k invested into three areas as part of a targeted effort to 'unlock growth on the high streets'. 

Similar schemes could follow at other high street and district centres across the council area.

Council deputy leader Philip Broadhead says the council’s proposals to help key retail areas is attracting the attention of Government and he is hopeful of winning grant funding to assist with some of the projects.

He told councillors at a meeting on Monday that after Covid, and with borrowing rates at low levels, now was the right time to invest in important sites across the area.

In total 19 high street or district centres have been identified as being in need of extra investment.

The proposals will go to the full council in November.

Cllr Nigel Brooks, lead member for retail strategy, argued that with thousands of retail units closing across the country and more predicted to go under investment for the future was now at a critical point. He said the proposals set out ways to ensure high streets and district centres locally continued to flourish and be vibrant place to be enjoyed by local people. Cllr Mark Howell said he would like to see proposals to make better use of existing community owned facilities, such as libraries and community centres and to ‘re-purpose’ closed retail units for the benefit of local people.

The areas identified for development and support include the three main town centres together with Hamworthy, Broadstone, Ashley Cross, Ashley Road (Parkstone),  Boscombe, Canford Cliffs, Charminster, Highcliffe, Kinson, Lansdowne, Pokesdown, Southbourne, Tuckton, Westbourne, Winton and Moordown.