Dorset-headquartered residential specialist AJC Group has commenced the £3.5m construction contract for a Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole (BCP) Council project in the coastal town of Poole, to create 24 ‘move on’ homes.
Located on the site of the former Bourne Valley Community Centre at 56 Herbert Avenue, the purpose-designed apartment building will create much-needed homes for residents who are currently homeless, or who require a form of move-on accommodation. The groundworks and infrastructure phase of the project was completed on schedule, and AJC Group is scheduled to complete the construction and fit-out phase by August 2023.
Funded by BCP Council, the new development will meet Passivhaus negligible energy demand principles, helping to reduce fuel poverty. The scheme has been designed by Arcus Consulting, with technical drawings delivered by Christchurch-based ARC Architects. Three of the new homes will be wheelchair accessible. There will be 10 parking spaces, a bike store, and a communal garden.
David Cracklen, Director of AJC Group, said: “This trailblazing development has been designed locally, it will be constructed by our local supply chain, and as soon as the new homes are handed over to BCP Council, they will be occupied by local people.
“With Poole and Sandbanks being such a tourist hotspot, the need for ‘move on’ accommodation might not be at the forefront of everyone’s minds. However, the high cost of living here is why this scheme on Herbert Avenue is so vital. We are all too aware of the waiting list of people in need for these homes, so we have committed all resources possible to ensure the project is completed to schedule.
“As a specialist in affordable housing, this eco-focused scheme is central to our core social values of building communities and delivering lasting change. We are very proud to be working in partnership with BCP Council on a project that will make a real difference to local people and the local economy.”
BCP Council’s vision is to end homelessness in Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole by ensuring everyone has a safe place to live that they can call home. The Herbert Avenue development will reduce the dependency on inappropriate bed and breakfast accommodation, by providing a more suitable housing solution that can help to stop the cycle of homelessness.
Cllr Karen Rampton, BCP Council Portfolio Holder for People and Homes, commented: “I am thrilled that this purpose-designed development will soon be coming out of the ground. To provide homes for families where they can be in the centre of a great community neighbourhood, with everything accessible, is fantastic and I just cannot wait to see the end result.”
Cllr Phillip Broadhead, Deputy Leader of BCP Council, and Portfolio Holder for Development, Growth and Regeneration, said: “We’ve got a super-ambitious house building programme. We’re aiming to build over 1,000 directly delivered homes over the next few years, and this particular development is delivering for some of our most vulnerable in society, with really good eco-standards as well. It is keeping jobs in the local economy, helping our residents, and doing it in a way that sets really high standards.”
AJC Group is currently on site constructing 230 quality new homes in prime locations across the Wessex region. The multi-award-winning company is focused on becoming the leading affordable housing contractor in the area. The firm recent undertook a team fitness challenge, to raise £10,000 for Dorset-based homelessness charity Routes to Roots. The team is now in training to undertake a fundraising challenge during December 2022 for Crisis – the UK national charity for people experiencing homelessness.
AJC Group’s David Cracklen added: “From the outset, our business was founded on a clear set of values and by putting integrity at the heart of everything we do. A key focus is working in partnership with registered providers, local authorities, and charities to deliver much-needed quality affordable housing. Despite the challenges encountered across the industry over the past few years, we have succeeded in trebling our turnover, and will shortly be under construction with 300 much-needed mixed-tenure homes.
“We have a clear vision to become the leading developer of affordable homes across the Wessex region, delivering homes of exceptional quality, on time and to budget, on behalf of — and in collaboration with — our partners and customers. Our aim is to deliver lasting change, transforming lives and landscapes through partnerships that build eco-focused homes of the highest quality in communities that are vibrant, sustainable, and aspirational.”
Header image shows AJC Group marking the start of construction with BCP Council.
