Plans to semi-pedestrianise part of Bournemouth are scrapped

By Josh Wright, Local Democracy Reporting Service

A £27m revamp of part of Bournemouth could move a step closer.

Council bosses will make a decision on revised proposals for the Lansdowne on Wednesday (11 November).

Access to Holdenhurst Road for traffic will be maintained under revised plans for BCP Council’s Lansdowne project.

The multi-million scheme to revamp the area in a bid to attract new has been planned over the last five years and had previously prioritised cycling and pedestrians.

But the new Conservative administration has agreed to keep access for traffic to avoid the risk of congestion building up on surrounding roads.

Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership awarded the council £8.5m towards funding “public realm improvements” to the Lansdowne.

The council says the scheme has already attract £200m of investment from other organisations, including Bournemouth University, for the area.

The £27m project had been planned to semi-pedestrianise the area by only keeping access to buses and cyclists on the section of Holdenhurst Road and create a large open public space.

But following the take over of the council by the Conservative group, it has agreed to revisit the scheme and keep full access for all traffic.

It said this had been done following public feedback over concerns the move could have increased congestion on other roads in the area.

“I want to ensure we deliver improvements within the first phase which provide the most benefits to the community, while also supporting local businesses, economic recovery and better ways of travel post Covid-19,” the council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for regeneration, councillor Philip Broadhead, said.

“That’s why we’ve listened to local people and businesses as we finalise the exciting plans for this area.

“This scheme will see huge improvements to how this area looks and feels, giving a new focal event area, dynamic and interesting public spaces and improvements to cycling and pedestrian movements.

“Our long-term vision remains the same and if approved this will be a huge springboard towards securing further investment into the area.’’

The revised scheme will be considered by the cabinet at its meeting on November 11 where they will be asked to back the new proposals.

Should councillors approve the plans, work will begin on “early contractor engagement” to begin implementing them.

The first work will be the consideration of traffic regulation orders in November with a report saying the whole project could be completed by spring 2022.