Lord Kerslake has been chosen to chair Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole’s new urban regeneration company.
The former head of the civil service took up the role as independent chair of FuturePlaces this week, marking its first year in operation.
Kerslake said: “FuturePlaces is a great initiative and an incredible opportunity for the people, organisations and communities in the area to come together to harness its huge place potential and make lasting improvements for the future.”
The regeneration company, which was launched in autumn 2021, is tasked with optimising a portfolio of council-owned sites across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
BCP FuturePlaces has adopted the stewardship development and investment approach, emulating the success of the King’s Cross, North Cambridge and Nansledan developments. The council noted that the approach was “increasingly being applied to secure delivery and place quality for long-term private, municipal and institutional land interests”.
Kerslake’s appointment will see acting chair and deputy leader of BCP council Philip Broadhead step back from the board, having supported the start-up phase. Two additional independent board members will shortly be appointed to create a fully independent board.
Broadhead said: “Lord Kerslake has a fantastic track record in corporate governance and regeneration and is highly regarded by government and industry. To attract someone of such calibre goes to show the validation and credibility of what we have set out to achieve through FuturePlaces for our residents and place.”
Kerslake’s appointment marks the end of the start-up phase of FuturePlaces, which will shortly present outline business plans to the council, setting out recommendations for the development of Poole Civic Centre, Christchurch Civic Centre, Constitution Hill and Chapel Lane, and propose a delivery route.
It will also bring forward place shaping and development recommendations at Holes Bay, Poole Quay and Poole North, Wessex Fields, Westover Road and Boscombe, with business cases expected in the new year.
Broadhead added: “We have an extremely talented team in FuturePlaces fostering the long-term ambition of our place as we unlock £3bn of gross development potential across council-owned sites. In less than a year we have moved into the delivery stage as projects come before the council for consideration.”
Prior to heading the civil service, Kerslake was permanent secretary at the Department for Communities & Local Government and chief executive of the Homes and Communities Agency. He was also chief executive at Sheffield City Council.
He is currently chair of London housing association Peabody, and Be First, the housing and regeneration arm of the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham.
To send feedback, e-mail piers.wehner@eg.co.uk or tweet @PiersWehner or @EGPropertyNews
