Ex-Civil Service chief appointed to lead Dorset urban regeneration company FuturePlaces
Former Head of the Civil Service Lord Kerslake has been chosen as the independent Chair of Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole's (BCP) new urban redevelopment venture, FuturePlaces, which is currently celebrating its first year of existence.
The member of The House of Lords has been nominated to helm the council-owned enterprise and will oversee a swathe of multi-billion pound regeneration projects.
Last year, the council launched FuturePlaces as a vehicle to seek investment from private property investment businesses and developers for the creation of thousands of new jobs and houses in the region.
The company will soon hand the council over its business plans, featuring ideas for the development of Poole Civic Centre, Christchurch Civic Centre, Constitution Hill, and Chapel Lane, as well as a delivery route.
Lord Kerslake said this about his appointment: “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. I look forward to working with the council and all of its councillors to achieve this.”
Lord Kerslake is also the chair of the London housing association Peabody and Be First, the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham's housing and redevelopment arm. He is chair of the UK2070 Commission too, which is an independent examination examining inequality in cities and regions throughout the country.
Main picture courtesy of BCP Council
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