focus on bournemouth & poole 19
Bournemouth and Poole – refusing to stand still
Bournemouth pipped its neighbours Southampton and Portsmouth at the post to be named one of the highest growth areas in the UK according to a recent economic study by financial advisers Grant Thornton. With nearby Poole’s renowned manufacturing strengths and marine expertise, they are a strong combination, as Sue Hughes reports
Bournemouth has great advantages and attributes as Britain’s premier holiday destination and as a place to live, work and study, but we want to maximise the town’s potential to excel.
“As a council we set out our aspirations in the Town Centre Vision. The framework that we established for unlocking private sector investment to implement a long-term strategy is now being used as a model by other destinations.
“Market confidence in the town is improving all the time and we have established a clear foundation from which to attract new investment on which we can build and deliver our ambitious programme for the town.
“Partnership and innovation, and above all an unwillingness to stand still, have been key to success so far.“
Aerial views: Bournemouth (above), Poole (below)
Bournemouth was the only place in Dorset or Hampshire to feature in the top-20 list of high- growth areas in the High Growth Index, compiled by Grant Thornton (see page 22), which identifies areas that have experienced the fastest growth during the past eight years according to three growth criteria: economic, demographic and place growth.
Stephen Mills, office managing partner at Grant Thornton in Southampton and honorary treasurer of Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who oversees work for the firm’s Bournemouth clients, commented that Bournemouth had exploited its leisure and tourism economy and that the building of a new Hilton Hotel and flats at the Terrace Mount car park site was ’the latest evidence that the town refuses to rest on its laurels when it comes to tourism infrastructure’.
Bournemouth’s Town Centre Vision is a key deliverable for the borough council as part of its ’Thriving Economy and Improving Environment’ priorities. In 2008 the council carried out extensive public consultation on ’A Vision for Bournemouth’. This helped to highlight that there would be a number of different steps needed to achieve the Town Centre Vision, and the co-ordinating plan, adopted in 2013, is known as the town Area Action Plan (AAP).
The policies contained within the AAP will deliver between 1,500 and 2,000 homes; promote enhancement of the existing environment, streets and spaces; support new and well-designed buildings; encourage
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – DECEMBER 14/JANUARY 15
www.businessmag.co.uk
year-round and varied activity for all ages; add around 23,000 sq m of additional retail floor space; help create new jobs (including around 3,000 office jobs); implement a sustainable transport strategy and support additional tourist accommodation, community, leisure, culture and entertainments.
Council leader John Beesley said: “We have big ambitions for Bournemouth’s future and we believe we need to take the lead in building a better Bournemouth for everyone to enjoy.
Bournemouth Borough Council, Purbeck District Council, Christchurch Borough Council and the National Trust oppose the Navitus Bay wind farm proposals, which could lead to Bournemouth’s economy suffering a £100 million per year hit, with around 2,000 jobs at risk should plans be approved.
The planning inspectorate is expected to complete its examination of the proposals in March before a decision is made by the secretary of state for energy and climate change next September. Plans for fewer turbines, however, are
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