Reid Steel shrinks housing plans for Christchurch base redevelopment
A STEEL giant has cut 50 homes from a major housing plan at its long-time base in Christchurch after concerns were raised by residents.
This week REIDsteel submitted to Christchurch Borough Council an outline plan to transform its Reid Street home with 170 homes – fewer than the 220 first suggested.
The proposal is for a mix of two and three-bedroom dwellings and one and two-bedroom flats. Worries over the original plan had been expressed by neighbours, who questioned its potential impact on local infrastructure.
Simon Boyd, managing director of REIDsteel, said: “REIDsteel is committed to leaving a legacy of much-needed housing when we leave our current home of more than 50 years.
“We have listened to comments made about our initial proposals and consulted with our professional advisors before drawing up our outline planning application.”
He added: “If approved, this plan will allow us to relocate to a purpose-built site where we can invest in the latest technology and significantly increase productivity with all operations under one roof.
“It will remove heavy industry away from the town centre, cut heavy traffic movements from Reid Street, reduce noise and disruption for neighbours and allow us to reduce our carbon footprint.”
REIDsteel is celebrating its centenary this year and is making a deal to move to a state-of-the art facility at an undisclosed location in the borough to bring its operation “under one roof” by 2020.
In an interview with the A&T last year Mr Boyd said REIDsteel wanted to grow productivity by 100% over the next decade. But the layout of its current site meant it could not host the new technology needed and had forced it to outsource some contracts.
He said the company had links with Twynham and The Grange schools and wanted to attract local students, even suggesting they could live in the houses the firm was proposing to build.
After announcing its plans last year REIDsteel held a public roadshow which was attended by Christchurch MP Sir Christopher Chope, local dignitaries and hundreds of residents.
But while many people the A&T spoke to welcomed new housing they also had serious reservations as to whether the local infrastructure – such as schools and roads – would be able to cope with the influx.
They pointed out there are also plans by the Aster Group to turn the town’s former police station nearby into 170 homes.
A REIDsteel spokesman said findings from a questionnaire at the roadshow event showed more than 60% of respondents were in favour or strongly in favour of the removal of industrial use from the site and thought housing was the best use.
Nearly three-quarters rated the overall approach to the design and layout of the housing as very good, good or fair, he added.
Founded in 1919 by Colonel John Reid, the firm is still owned by the Reid family and has a 130-strong workforce.
It exports to more than 140 countries from Iceland to Rarotonga in the South Pacific, Russia, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Mediterranean, Caribbean and South America.
Previous projects include factory buildings in Mauritius and bridges in Africa to aircraft hangars and industrial buildings in the UK as well as grandstands, bridges, process plants and car parks.
The company said it contributes £2m to the local supply chain on top of salaries for its staff, many of whom live in and around Christchurch.
The planning application is due to go before Christchurch Borough Council planners for a decision in April.
