The redevelopemnt continues with the refurbishment of the Overstarand building. Here the beach hut is being reborn.Having invented the beach hut back in 1908, Bournemouth still rents out the oldest hut in the world. The new beach huts follow the kitsch, retro 1950s and 60s imagery of the 1958 Overstrand building they will be housed in. Each of the 58 beach huts will be individually designed. People will choose which beach hut they want to buy based on which image they prefer. Penthouse, double sized and single huts will be fitted with mains electricity and some will feature their own hot and cold running water. 31 surf pods will be made available for purchase on a 25 year lease with the remainder reserved for casual hire from the Council. The huts will offer panoramic views across the surf reef and Solent and the redesign to be completed at the end of October 2008.

Wayne and Gerardine Hemingway, the designers,say "The Boscombe Overstrand project is right up there with the most stimulating projects we have ever undertaken. It is not often you come across a historic mid-century modern building that has been empty for 15 years but has remained in good condition and has its original features and integrity and when that building faces one of Britain’s best beaches, has world-class views and is next to tone of the coolest piers in the country you have to pinch yourself. The beach huts at Boscombe will simply be the best in the world.”

The regenerated building will feature a high-quality café with first-floor glass-fronted restaurant overlooking the surf reef and award-winning beaches. Two surf-related retail units, RNLI beach lifeguard station, public showers, toilets and changing facilities and events office will feature along the ground floor. The tender to lease the commercial units are currently available for interested parties.

The beach huts are adjacent to the artificial reef and with a refurbished pier will hopefully bring new life to this seaside resort in time for it to take advantage of changing holiday patterns that will probably emerge from global warming and the rise in oil price.