BCP COUNCIL is seeking capital investment to create a sustainable and successful Smart Place, using a 'revolutionary business model that can be replicated in other cities and places across the UK and around the world'.

Officials say the Smart Place vision includes using innovative digital solutions to improve the lives of residents, the vibrancy of communities and the prospects of local businesses in cities everywhere.

Smart Place is an initiative which will see collaboration of digital technologies throughout the community

Councillor Drew Mellor, leader of BCP Council, said: “Our vision for Smart Place will create a financially successful business model that will be hugely valuable to other cities, towns and areas, in the UK and internationally.

“We are now pleased to present our ambitious plans with the view to attracting investors with a passion for innovation and technology.

"This is a rare opportunity to help build, shape and share in the success of our evolving Smart Place ecosystem.’’

The council says as a thriving centre for modernity, culture, heritage and innovation, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is a rapidly growing city region and the tenth-largest urban area in England.

The area is therefore the ideal location for the first ever deployment of the New Smart Place, they argue.

A BCP Council spokesman said: "With the full support of the UK government, BCP Council is rapidly becoming recognised as a leader in both Smart Place technologies and Smart Place business thinking.

"This is generating a range of investment opportunities in ultrafast gigabit fibre, ground-breaking 5G solutions, hyper-secure data insight systems and innovative place-based integrated applications.

"By using the power of the BCP Council brand new local value streams will be generated leading to considerable projected revenue returns.

"Central to the generation of these opportunities is the focus on providing benefits and services for local people, businesses and communities.

"Market research has been conducted that clearly shows local people support our place-based initiatives."

"The Department for International Trade (DIT) will be showcasing BCP Council’s Smart Place investment opportunities at the upcoming UK Smart Cites webinar on Wednesday 17 March 2021.