BCP Council unveils plans to transform former Christchurch civic offices into 84-bed hotel and build 36 new homes

THE vacant civic offices in Christchurch could be turned into an 84-bed boutique hotel with 36 homes built alongside, under plans by BCP Council.

Initial proposals from the council's urban regeneration company, Future Places, were presented to ruling cabinet members at a meeting on Wednesday – with a requirement for £26m of borrowing.

The site was declared surplus following the local government reorganisation which created BCP Council, now headquartered at Bournemouth town hall.

A cabinet report said: "On balance, and in light of the investigations undertaken, it is suggested that the best present regenerative option is to convert a sound building that is not at end of life into a quality boutique hotel.

"The development of the building for hotel use would support the need for quality accommodation in the town to support tourism and visitors.

"The intention is to retain the hotel and residential elements and to earn rental income from the housing and hotel operations."

The report explained the preferred option was also as a result of "complexities" which included the building being an unusual shape, with stepped floor levels which meant it had limited uses, alongside wider site constraints such as the flood risk.

The current rear car park would be used partially for hotel parking as well as the creation of approximately 36 new homes.

The front car park in Bridge Street would be retained and enhanced through landscaping to provide public parking to support the town centre and for hotel drop-offs.

Disposal of the site would likely return around £3m for the council, the cabinet report explained, but the current flood defence risks means optimum value would be hard to achieve.

Supporting the plan was Cllr Nigel Brooks, of Highcliffe & Walkford, the council's lead member for "high street renaissance".

He said: "I think it is quite notable that it will have significant benefit to the area in regeneration.

"The change will affect the community positively by continuing to regenerate the area, providing quality public facing provision and developing much needed housing on a brownfield site.

"The development of a high-quality boutique hotel alongside the residential development with the associated improvements to the public realm close to the shopping areas will increase opportunity for the community to interact, reducing loneliness and improving wellbeing."

He added proposals to the council to develop adjoining sites would bring "much-needed housing" to Christchurch which, along with the boutique hotel, would create "a very desirable location".

Council leader Cllr Philip Broadhead added: "It is worth colleagues remembering we set up the Future Places as our regeneration vehicle only just over a year ago.

"To see the pace of scale of what we're now achieving and making those firm plans is to be credited."

Members unanimously agreed to progress to a full business plan which will be discussed by the full council before adoption.