Parish Plan Results
425 (27%) of you gave your views. It is impossible to report everything that every individual wrote. In the summaries below we have done our best to reflect why these topics came foremost...
The Character of Bere Regis
You like Bere Regis the way it is but you think that some change for the better, maintaining the character of the Parish, is healthy.
You say… " Bere Regis is full of character and characters, retaining its shops and pubs and liveliness. " There is a strong community spirit. " The countryside on our doorstep is outstanding.
You think… " We have a special character in Bere Regis that we should definitely maintain. " Major changes, such as large-scale development would change the character that we value.
Traffic
Nearly all of you are concerned about traffic in and around Bere Regis. Safety is the main worry.
You say… " The volume, nature and speed of traffic through and within the village are a danger to people. It will get worse. " The high level of noise from through traffic and the by-pass is a problem for many. " Unregulated parking in West Street and outside the school and doctors' surgery causes congestion, reduced visibility, restricted access & safety hazards. " The central car park is badly signed and is not being used effectively.
You think… " A southern by-pass should be looked at again… " but you are divided on how to tackle West Street congestion. Careful consideration is needed.
The Environment & its upkeep
You feel very strongly about conserving the countryside around Bere Regis for wildlife and people.
In the village, you appreciate the old buildings but think that the open spaces, pathways and pavements, roadways and signs are looking tired, run-down and neglected.
You say… " Good standards generate pride, bad standards encourage anti-social behaviour. " The car park, recycling bins & closed toilets are all cause for concern. " Pavements and pathways are strewn with litter and dog mess. " Footpaths, pavements and roads lack maintenance. " Signboards need updating and maintaining. " Toilets are badly needed.
You think… " There should be more bins for litter and dog mess. " Parishioners should take a pride in the environment and help to maintain it. " There needs to be regular street sweeping & footpath clearance.
Facilities for young people
You feel very strongly that more needs to be done for the younger people of Bere Regis.
You say… " Bere Regis teen-agers feel isolated from centres of entertainment and from their school friends living outside the Parish. Public transport is inadequate at the times it is needed. " The youth clubs and sports club do a great job but with limited premises, funds & support. " Lack of facilities may contribute to anti-social behaviour by some young people.
You suggest there should be… " A warm, lit meeting place for teen-agers / young adults. " More indoor & outdoor sports & recreational facilities. " More day care facilities for young children.
Amenities & Services
You appreciate our shops, pubs and services very much and want to support, maintain and improve them.
You say… " You are concerned about the future of the Post Office, Parish Church and the school. " The service provided by the Medical Centre is much appreciated but it is at capacity. " The Fire and Rescue service struggles to have enough volunteers to maintain the service during working hours.
You think we should.… " Focus particularly on supporting and maintaining the Post Office, Parish Church and village school. " Have better information on all the service businesses, care providers, clubs & societies operating in the Parish. " Look to introducing new facilities and programmes to improve our medical services, possibly incorporating a medical centre in any new community centre.
Housing
You strongly support more affordable housing, to meet the needs of local people.
You say… " Many local people find it impossible to buy or rent in the Parish. " We need to cater for all ages, from expanding, young families to the elderly. " There is some concern about the increase of second homes. " Appropriate, small-scale development is required to meet the needs of the community.
You think… " More affordable housing should be a priority. " New, affordable housing should be available only to those living in the Parish.
A Community Hall
You strongly support the development of a new community centre.
You say… " The Drax Hall, though much loved and managed with great dedication, has limited facilities and struggles to meet current legislative requirements. " Several other facilities in the Parish are used at present.
You think we should… " Develop a new centre for the Parish. Ideas include toilets, car-parking, level access, sports and recreational, catering and crèche facilities, function/meeting rooms and computer access. Such a centre could provide a meeting place for all ages, opportunities for lifelong learning and a village and tourist information centre. " Ensure that any future facilities are affordable to users.
Protecting against over-development
Many of you fear further attempts by developers and authorities to impose large-scale housing developments on the village.
You say… " Large-scale development will change the character of Bere Regis and lead to loss of the immediate countryside, which means so much to us. " The roads, parking facilities and village infrastructure could not cope with large-scale expansion.
You think however that… " Some small-scale, affordable housing is required.
Law & Order
Both young & old are concerned about anti-social behaviour and vandalism.
You say… " Anti-social behaviour is a problem particularly around the car park and after pub closing time. " We need to keep the streets safe. " Younger people made clear how much they resent being "branded" as a group for the behaviour of a few.
You think… " An increased police presence is needed, especially at certain times. " We should look at developing Community Policing.
Public Transport
You appreciate the location of Bere Regis, but recognise that if you do not drive, public transport to surrounding towns, facilities, countryside and coast are inadequate.
You say… " Buses are infrequent, scarce at the weekend and non-existent after early evening.
You think… " More frequent services should be provided, with priority given to services to Wareham and centres of employment, sports facilities and health care outside the village.
Employment Opportunities & Tourism
You feel that local jobs are important to the character and people of the Parish. There are opportunities to develop tourism.
You think we should… " Support existing employment and provide more affordable housing for people who want to live and work here. " Provide support facilities for local businesses and home-workers. " Make more use of the industrial estate. " Consider developing tourism, making the most of the Parish's heritage & environment. " Look after visitors by providing parking, toilets, refreshments, signs and information to make their visits rewarding.
Mangement of Parish Affairs
A number of you pointed out how important it is to have good involvement, planning & administration of Parish affairs.
This will be vital to the success of any plans for Bere Regis.
What now?
We will use these results to target in on the most important elements of your feedback to take forward into the final plan. Watch this space...
If you would like these results in a PDF format, click the photo below...
If you would like to see the way we categorised the answers to the questionnaire in a PDF format, click the photo below...
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