We have big plans for Boscombe town centre. We'll create a new neighbourhood right in the heart of the town with new homes, green spaces. This will result in outstanding public spaces that are lively and pleasant to use. 

We'll also be refreshing our high street, to provide a diverse mix of retail and leisure facilities, whilst protecting the town's heritage.

Our projects under this theme are:

• Boscombe Masterplan
• High Street.

High Street Project

By 2026 Boscombe High Street will be a vibrant, quirky, safe and attractive centre providing a range of shops, services, leisure and job opportunities, for the local community.​

The high street will be more resilient to change, and the upper floors will be re-used to provide residential and employment accommodation, with the Victorian architecture being enhanced and celebrated.

The project aims to:

• attract at least 10% more people and footfall to the high street by breathing new life into the area and improving the appearance of buildings, public spaces and areas
• make the best use out of brownfield land and buildings through re-use of upper floors on the high street, with the provision of at least five more new homes
• create an exciting night-time culture by increase the number of businesses on the high street which are open in the evenings and weekends, maximising the potential created by high footfall from the 90 annual events in the O2 venue
• improve the appearance of the high street through renovation and replacement of at least 15 shopfronts
• support the existing businesses (occupants) directly and indirectly affected by the Boscombe Masterplan.

We will shortly be appointing an architect team who will create a design of the future high street, which will preserve and enhance its character.

We'll then offer grants to local traders along Boscombe High Street to restore their shopfronts and upgrade their premises, whilst staying sympathetic to this new design. prepare plans to upgrade shopfronts and repurpose redundant floor space for properties along the busy High Street. The objectives are to encourage investment and changes of use and support the redevelopment of shop frontages along the historic road. 

Boscombe Masterplan

We will facilitate the development of an ambitious masterplan for Boscombe town centre, which will be delivered in two main phases.

We will deliver Phase One, which includes the following proposals:

• a new walkway between Christchurch Road and Hawkwood Road
• five new retail kiosks on the new walkway with outside seating
• a new community centre
• new homes
• a small park: Hawkwood Gardens
• public car park (retention of part of Hawkwood Road main car park)
• minor changes to Hawkwood Road itself to accommodate new pedestrian crossing, loading bay for community centre and bus stop
• potential for a new doctors surgery or health care facility.

Where we are now

We consulted you about our Masterplan earlier this year and assessed the results. A detailed business case has been developed and approved by Towns Fund Strategic Board, and we will have timescales confirmed and projects starting at the end of 2023.