A “BOLD and big” five-year strategy aimed at creating 13,000 jobs and building 15,000 homes across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole has been drawn up by BCP Council.

The plan, outlining the council’s priorities for the conurbation, focuses on five themes with £50 million allocated to support it.

Council leader, councillor Drew Mellor, said the work would “deliver big and positive changes” and that it was hoped it could generate £3 billion of investment.

“We want to harness the potential of our coastline of opportunity and make BCP a place where people and businesses want to be,” he said. “Because of the vibrancy of our communities, the strength of our economy, the skills of our people, the wealth of our culture and the quality of our infrastructure, our environment and quality of life.”

The strategy centres on five main themes:

  1. Investing in an “iconic cityscape” with a focus on improving the area’s train stations, notably Pokesdown Station for which discussions are underway about a multi-million pound revamp,
  2. investing in the seafront,
  3. to “rejuvenate” Poole with a “vibrant, attractive and sustainable mix of residency, business, hospitality, retail, culture and green spaces”,
  4. to invest in physical and digital infrastructure across the area,
  5. and to have 15,000 homes built.

Cllr Mellor said the “futures fund” allocated within the council’s budget would “help make the aspirations a reality”.

Among the measures being considered through this work is the revamp of Pokesdown Station.

He said discussions were taking place “at pace” to draw up plans and set aside funding for the project which was part of a wider priority of improving the main transport accesses into the area.

He added that the five-year strategy was a “key priority” for the council and was aiming for evidence of its focus to come forward shortly, including having “cranes in the sky as soon as possible”.

The council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for regeneration, councillor Phil Broadhead, said the plan was “a statement of intent”.

He said the aim of the plan was to “generate £3 billion of investment” in the area and that the funding could be “swiftly” put in place.

The strategy will be considered at the February 10 meeting of the council's cabinet.