Churchill Retirement Living announces £30m plans for 170 homes on old Christchurch gasworks site

PLANS for 170 new homes have been revealed for Christchurch's old gasworks site in the town centre.

The £30m scheme from Churchill Retirement Living comprises a mix of retirement living, open-market homes for first-time buyers, and affordable housing.

Churchill said its vision was to "deliver a sustainable new development that meets the needs of all demographics" and support BCP Council’s strategy for new homes on brownfield land.

A spokesperson for the firm said the development would generate around £1.7m spending in the town and create 30 jobs.

Spencer McCarthy, Churchill’s chair and chief executive, described it as "one of our most ambitious and exciting redevelopment projects to date".

He said: "By delivering a mix of different housing types we are looking to transform the old gasworks site into an attractive new community for people of all ages, which in turn will create hundreds of new jobs, boost the local economy and support the local high street.

"We will also be investing hundreds of thousands of pounds in site clean-up and remediation of the old gasworks, as well as local infrastructure improvement and measures to ensure the long-term sustainability of the site.

“We will continue to work closely with BCP Council and other key stakeholders to develop our plans, and we look forward to making our vision a reality over the coming years.”

Cllr Mike Cox, who represents the Christchurch Town ward on BCP Council, told the A&T he wanted more information on the development, particularly about cleaning up the site.

“I have been recently contacted by Churchill and have suggested a meeting to understand better the detail of the plans," he said.

"I am particularly keen to understand how they will deal with any contamination in the land, the extent of the proposed affordable homes and any coordination they plan with the Future Places proposals for the old civic centre.”

Cllr Nigel Brooks, BCP Council's lead member for Christchurch regeneration, commented: “The completion of the acquisition of the former gasworks site by Churchill is a key step forward to see this important redundant town centre site redeveloped for much needed housing.

"When taken together with the former Christchurch Civic Offices site next door, the whole area has an exceptional opportunity to create a desirable and vibrant ‘quarter’ to this part of historic Christchurch.”

For more information on the proposals, visit gasworkschristchurch.co.uk