Winter Gardens: Demolition on Exeter Road finished

The former office block at Keystone House, Lost Paradise nightclub, Funki Griller restaurant and Valentino Restaurant have all been flattened.

Following the 16-week demolition works, the private permit-holders-only car park adjacent to the former Keystone House has now reopened.

Bournemouth Development Company (the joint venture partnership between BCP Council and Muse Developments, a Morgan Sindall Group company) has demolished the site to make way for the new Winter Gardens scheme.

Planning permission has already been granted for the £150 million Winter Gardens development which if progressed would see more than 350 flats, 600 parking spaces and new leisure and retail space.

The Exeter Road site is ready for its next stage

It is proposed that the flats would be privately rented through its company Seascape and it is forecast these would bring in more than £1.7 million a year.

READ MORE: Pop-up restaurant on Winter Gardens site

The Daily Echo previously reported that BDC were reviewing some elements of the scheme - which they secured planning for in 2019 - to ensure it meets the needs of the community.

BDC said they are not yet ready to release any updates on their plans at this time but will do so in due course.

Tweaks to the approved scheme are expected to be required though the plans state construction could start in the second half of 2022.

Winter Gardens could link with the BIC

However, earlier this week the Daily Echo reported that the prospect of a single linked scheme with the Bournemouth International Centre had to be examined before construction starts at Winter Gardens.

READ MORE: Winter Gardens and the BIC could be linked up in Bournemouth

The two prominent town centre locations, which are separated by a strip of vacant land and a single road, have been the focus of attention for many years.

The proposed Winter Gardens piazza

BCP Council's recently created FuturePlaces urban regeneration company was given both sites on a list of 15 development opportunities.

FuturePlaces has been tasked with looking into the potential for the sites and bringing forward plans to redevelop them though no plans have been specified to date.