A DEVELOPER is seeking to add another 16 apartments to a Poole regeneration scheme in a bid to make it financially viable.

The former James Bros site in lower Hamworthy was granted planning permission in 2008, before the recession, for 44 apartments.

Now Reefdene Ltd, which has to make contributions to the borough of more than £500,000, is seeking to build 60 flats, with the extra 16 spread across two re-designed buildings ranging in height from two to six storeys.

The original scheme agreed with Borough of Poole includes 39 affordable housing flats, which have already been built on the Blandford Road site.

However there was also a commitment to contribute around £500,000 to the council towards open space, nature conservation, public art and highway improvements.

And a sum of £143,000 is required for a pedestrian railway crossing to Hamworthy Park.

Agent and chartered town planning consultant Carol Evans of Evans & Traves, Verwood, said rather than asking the council to substantially reduce the financial contribution, “Reefdene Ltd is trying to improve the financial viability of the scheme in a more creative manner”.

She added: “This can be done by providing an additional 16 apartments and by significantly improving the design and layout of the development to create a more desirable contemporary scheme that better befits Poole’s up-and-coming regeneration area.”

Terry Matthews, director of Reefdene, said: “We are extremely pleased that we have been able to work with the Borough of Poole over the last year enabling us to bring forward this revised scheme, particularly in light of these very challenging times.

“We see this as a true win-win situation. Poole Borough Council will benefit from the significant financial contributions which will help to deliver schemes like the crossing over the railway to Hamworthy Park that we know has been important to the council for some time.

“We will be able to deliver a scheme with the benefit of significantly improved design and quality of living which can only improve the saleability of the apartments in this very difficult market.”