Published on Monday 26 July 2021
Holdenhurst Road has now reopened following initial works to transform the Lansdowne area and deliver major improvements to the public realm.
BCP Council’s vision for Lansdowne is to create an attractive outdoor environment for residents, businesses and visitors to enjoy. This will include new street furniture, planting, paving, artworks and new event space. Following the completion of an initial delivery phase, Holdenhurst Road has reopened in time for the busiest part of the summer period.
Works commenced in March 2021 and improvements will continue to take shape over the coming months without the need for Holdenhurst Road to be closed to vehicles. Future improvements will see a landmark art installation delivered on Holdenhurst Road later this year adjacent to the Old Fire Station, which will complement and enhance the new event spaces created in Lansdowne.
The works have been carried out by contractors at Balfour Beatty, who have maintained access for people travelling on foot and by bike throughout the recent road closure. Support has also been provided to local businesses, with access to all premises continually maintained.
To deliver this initial phase, £4.8 million in government funding was secured by Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) through the Local Growth Fund and a further £2.9 million of council match funding provided from local contributions.
In addition, an exciting community project to refresh and revitalise Station Roundabout has also been largely completed thanks to a £40,000 Community Infrastructure Levy investment and £5,000 in funding provided by Bournemouth’s Coastal BID. The area will benefit from wildflowers planting, a cycle through route, colourful artworks and wayfinding to draw people from Bournemouth train station to Lansdowne and the beach.
Councillor Philip Broadhead, BCP Council’s Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Economy said:
"I am delighted to see these improvements take shape and to announce that we are ready to reopen Holdenhurst Road. This will go a long way towards supporting local businesses now government COVID-19 restrictions have lifted. We have big ambitions for Lansdowne, and this is just the first stage of our transformational vision, which will encourage economic growth and attract future investment in the area over the long term.’’
Brian Hammersley, Balfour Beatty Living Places Contract Director, said:
"Alongside our supply chain partners, R&W Civil Engineering, we have worked safely and efficiently to open this essential road as quickly as possible in a bid to minimise disruption for the travelling public and local businesses in the Lansdowne area.
"Through the SCAPE framework, we have worked closely with our supply chain to leave a lasting positive impact on the local community; carrying out a beach clean-up on Bournemouth beach, engaging with a social enterprise to recycle wood pallets from the site, whilst also working with Community Clean and Chapter 8 to contribute to the refurbishment of Station Roundabout."