Overcoming severance and increasing appeal

The Town Centre North district forms the heart of Poole’s central area and although it currently provides a range of shopping and leisure uses and is a focus for public transport, there is widespread recognition that it could perform much better. Transport infrastructure is in need of significant improvement, buildings are low-grade and shabby and little happens outside of shopping hours, creating safety fears.

 

Following the exploration of a range of options for fundamental restructuring of the area, prepared in conjunction with existing traders, potential investors and other stakeholders the preferred strategy has been embedded in the Area Action Plan.

 

This sees the expansion of the retail offer introduced in parallel with cafes, bars and restaurants and new cultural facilities such as a Central Library, Lighthouse arts centre, cinema and swimming pool. Student accommodation to support Bournemouth University will inject new life into the area and a new bus station will be constructed. A public square will form a new heart and will be capable of seasonal use for markets, street performance and a temporary ice rink.