A £12m development which will provide 46 new one, two, and three-bedroomed apartments in Bournemouth has been officially topped out.

The ceremony marked the milestone of the Bournemouth Development Company’s St Stephen’s Road scheme, to be known as Tree Tops, reaching its highest point.

Tree Tops is aimed at the family rental market, helping to contribute to the creation of sustainable communities in the town centre.

It is led by the Bournemouth Development Company, a public-private partnership between BCP Council and Morgan Sindall Investments.

As well as providing high-quality, contemporary homes for local families, the project will also return profits back to the council for investment in future regeneration projects – two of the main aims of the Bournemouth Development Company partnership.

Due to be completed by the end of 2020, the 46 apartments will be split into 28 and 18 flats across two multi-storey blocks.

Both have been designed to combine traditional external materials such as brick, with contemporary architecture, to complement rather than detract from the neighbouring St Stephen’s Church.

Around 20 guests including civic leaders, project partners and construction workers attended the topping out ceremony which included the planting of a tree in the grounds.

Taking a tree to the top of the building is a longstanding tradition in the construction industry.

Once the tree was taken to the top of the highest block, it was planted in the grounds by Cllr Vikki Slade, Leader of BCP Council.

She said: “It’s been really exciting to see this new development take shape in a way that both enhances and complements the local area.

“It’s an excellent example of what can be achieved through public and private sector partnerships.

“Once completed it will deliver attractive and much-needed new homes for our community.

“This will support our vision for the area and the growth of Bournemouth’s town centre as a great place for people to live, work and spend their spare time.”

Duncan Johnston, Director, Bournemouth Development Company, said: “The Tree Tops scheme is well on its way to completion, which is great news for Bournemouth, and is another step towards regenerating the town centre and delivering funds back to the council for future regeneration.

“We are delighted to have been able to transform this previously under-used and awkward site into a modern, sustainable development that will provide safe and secure homes for families well into the future.”

BCP Council will retain ownership of the site and purchase the completed development as a long-term investment asset.

The homes will then be operated as a private-sector rental scheme via the council’s wholly owned services company Seascape Ltd under a 25-year lease.