BOSCOMBE centre will have to wait even longer for its proposed re-vamp after the deprived area learned this week that it won't be receiving any cash from the government's Future High Streets Fund.

The money could have been worth up to £750,000.

Councils all over the UK had been encouraged to bid for £150,00 ‘expression of interest’ cash to work-up detailed bids for a slice of the £675 million government fund aimed at transforming town centres with “bold new visions”.

The former Poole Borough Council successfully bid for the initial £150,000 required to work up a detailed project proposal and the former Bournemouth Council applied for the same amount of money for Boscombe.

A report by the council’s head of communities, Kelly Ansell, said at the time that major investment in Boscombe’s retail centre was “urgently required” to continue work to regenerate the area.

“This [regeneration work] has focused on addressing the underlying socio-economic problems of the area,” she said.

“There has not been any major investment in the town centre or retail and this is now urgently required in order to coordinate an effective, cohesive masterplan.

“The Boscombe Regeneration Partnership believes that the Future High Street Fund perfectly aligns with the ambitions for Boscombe and the timing is critical in relation to the ongoing discussions taking place with partners.”

She added that the decision to bid for Boscombe was due to the high number of empty shop units, the age and quality of retail facilities, the need for physical improvements to its public areas, and its high level of deprivation.

None of this appeared to influence the Future High Streets fund, however.

In a statement, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Culture, BCP Council, Mark Howell, said: “Earlier this year we were successfully awarded £150,000 from the government’s Future High Street’s Fund to develop a business case for Poole High Street. This is due to be submitted this Autumn and if successful would be fantastic news for residents and businesses in Poole.

“A strong bid was also submitted to the fund on behalf of Boscombe’s High Street, however it was sadly unsuccessful this time.

“Revitalising high streets across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is a key priority and we will continue to work with our partners to seek innovative and sustainable ways of bringing investment into the three towns.”

Tory councillor for Boscombe West Jane Kelly said: "We are obviously extremely disappointed because it's something we'd have loved to have had - we could have done a lot with that money - but we will continue to do what we can for Boscombe."

She said she was "really surprised" that Boscombe hadn't made the cut because" We ticked all the boxes for their criteria for that funding.

However, she warned that she didn't know yet what the new council administration's policy would be on the area's regeneration.

"We had a few things in mind to to enhance the area, such as the entrance to the shopping precinct from the car-park to make it more welcoming but maybe in the fullness of time we'll be able to find another way."

conservative councillors for Boscombe West Jane Kelly said: "We are obsviously extremely disappoitned its somethign wwe'd hav eloved to ahve had but we wil contineu top do whtat we can for boscome. I'm not quite sure what teh new adminiastration's policies will be on Boscombe's regeneration and untikl I know that it's difficutl tos ay.

"I work to make sure that everything I cn do we do, I work withteh police and yes we are very dsiappoitned that we werne choen to be one fo those area, Pole ahve got soem money and wso we do congratulate them but we'd ahv eliked it too!

We ahd a few thing sin midn to enhance the area, one fo the thigns was enhance th eentrnce to the shopping precint from teh car-park to make it more welcomign but maybe in teh fullness of time we'll be able to find anotehr way.

"You can get up to £750,000 for a ful project but it wa s alot of money and it relaly would ahe been soemthign you could make a big difference with so all I can say is that we are very disappionted.

POOLE'S High Street could be set for a new lease of life, thanks to a new government grant.

The town is one of 50 areas across the UK which will receive funding to present a bid to secure a share of the £675 million Future High Streets Fund, which is designed to help local leaders reinvent their town centres.

The FHSF money can be spent on a wide ranging list of things, from improving transport and access into town centres to converting retail units into new homes.