Zest for Bournemouth as Citrus Building launches

Posted: 6/05/2014 at 12:29pm

Prospective buyers have begun viewing the first residential and commercial property to come on stream from the Bournemouth Development Company (BDC), the delivery partner for Bournemouth Borough Council’s Town Centre Vision.

A show apartment has been opened at the stylish five-storey Citrus Building overlooking Horseshoe Common after an official launch attended by more than 60 guests.

The £12 million development, on the former council-owned surface car park at Leyton
Mount, comprises 64 apartments and, once open, will house a 290 sq m (3,120 sq
ft) café or restaurant.

Funding included a £5 million investment from the Get Britain Building programme run by the Homes & Communities Agency.

Duncan Johnston, BDC Development Director, said: “The launch event was a chance to say thank you to those involved in bringing the Citrus Building to fruition as we move into the go-to-market phase. This is an architecturally impressive building, with beautifully appointed apartments, which will help rejuvenate the town centre and strengthen the area’s presence as a much sought-after location.”

Firms active in the planning and property sectors, such as Terence O’Rourke, Goadsby, Bond Dickinson and Princecroft Willis, were represented at the launch along with organisations such as Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership, Bournemouth Tourism Management Board, AFC Bournemouth and Bournemouth Chamber of Trade & Commerce.

Councillor John Beesley, Leader of Bournemouth Borough Council, who cut the ribbon to open the Citrus Building show apartment, said: “Our regeneration partnership BDC is going from strength to strength as we continue to  stimulate the local economy, in this case through attracting new residents to the town centre, especially those who are first-time buyers.”

Apartments at the Citrus Building – so-called because of its bright orange, yellow and green exterior and curvy shape – range from studios to three bedrooms, all incorporating stylish, contemporary design.

Prospective occupiers must pre-register their interest for an appointment to view the show apartment. The first occupiers are expected to move into the Citrus Building towards the end of the summer.

BDC, a regeneration partnership between Bournemouth Borough Council and Morgan Sindall Investments, is developing a number of surface car park sites in the town centre. The first development to be completed was the nearby Madeira Road multi-storey car park which opened earlier this year offering 382 public parking spaces over seven floors.

Alongside, work is under way on three blocks of much-needed student accommodation for the Arts University Bournemouth. Due to open for the 2014-15 academic year, the residences will house 378 students.

BDC is also preparing plans for a residential development, with multi-storey car park, at Berry Court and is looking at further schemes at Durley Road and St Stephens.

For more information on the Citrus Building, call Stubbings Property Marketing on 01628
482276 or visit www.thecitrusbuilding.co.uk.