Play Park Project – Investing in our Children’s Future

As many of you are aware, Bere Regis Play Park is in need of replacement. The existing play park was installed in 2013 and cost £42,000. Much of this was covered by grants, but the village raised nearly £4,000 through holding various events. All of the original play equipment was bespoke made of wood, which, 13 years on and despite on-going repairs, has slowly rotted and much has had to be removed for safety reasons. It was decided that we need to look at a new play area, but costs have increased considerably since then. So has the variety of equipment available.

To this end, Councillors Kevin Hazell and Sam Bardwell have taken on the task to review the current park and replace it with a new park.

The aim of the new play park will be to foster challenge, adventure, co-operation and communication, building physical and mental confidence for children up to about 12/13 years of age. It will also promote social mixing amongst older age groups within the village i.e. siblings, parents and grandparents.

If we are to upgrade and replace the play park, with one that lasts more than 25 years, we will need to raise approximately £200,000. The Parish Council has set aside £33,000 over the past years to act as match funding.

The Councillors have visited several play parks, consulted with other Parish Councils and engaged with a number of prospective suppliers, (who have all visited the site). We have had initial plans drawn up by a local company who has built a number of parks in our area. These will be available to be viewed on the Parish Council web page soon. It is by no means the finished article, but more an initial idea to demonstrate what may be achieved for our children. This will be the starting point for the children, parents, Bere Regis residents and any other interested parties to contribute ideas, to create the actual play park.

To succeed in getting the play park that Bere Regis children deserve, we will all need to help out in raising the money, be it helping at events, setting up events, offering ideas to raise money or finding sponsors who will contribute to the whole park funding or focus on sponsoring a specific piece of equipment.

We will be setting up a fund-raising committee in the near future – if you are interested please let us know and we will add you to the list for the first meeting.

We as a village have achieved this before and can do it again. Time is of the essence – the quicker we get going, the sooner we will have the park.

Please feel free to contact Cllr Kevin Hazell by email – k.hazell@bereregisparishcouncil.gov.uk – if you have any questions, ways to help or would like to get involved in any way.

To start the process, we will be setting up a Crowd Funding page for donations – this will be made available soon on the Parish Council Facebook page. Please take a moment to look at this site and see what we could have for our youngsters and take a moment to share with as many people as possible, both in our community and wider, to make them aware of what we are trying to achieve and to help raise the funds needed.

Any contribution is both valued and appreciated.

Dorset Council Local Plan – deadline for comments extended to 31 Oct. 2025

As previously publicised, Dorset Council are seeking your views on how Dorset should grow and develop over the next 17 years. Many so-called “opportunity sites” have been identified across the county, with the potential for the building of many thousands of new houses. In Bere Regis, two sites have been identified, which if developed could amount to approximately 200 more houses in the village. One site is to the east of Rye Hill, on land that is currently Rye Hill farm – the development would surround Green Close and potentially 158 houses have been allocated to this area. The other site is the fields between Snow Hill Lane and North Street, and potentially 38 houses have been allocated to this area.

These houses are in addition to the new housing already identified in the current version of our Neighbourhood Plan as above. 200 additional houses would be a roughly 25% increase on the identified total number of dwellings in the Bere Regis parish.

There are no planning applications associated with these opportunity sites – Dorset Council are developing a long-term plan, for the next 17 years as stated above. Planning applications could follow once the plan has been developed. In order that your views are taken into account, it is important that as many people as possible submit their comments. Bere Regis Parish Council cannot tell you what to say but we can give you pointers towards the sort of things that you might wish to comment on. The list below is not exhaustive, and ultimately some of these items may have both negative and positive impact.

Infrastructure, drains (rainwater & sewers)
Infrastructure, electricity
Infrastructure, Internet
Availability of local jobs for 200 more households
Infrastructure, public transport
Potential increase in commuting, impact on local and main roads
Impact on parking and village traffic in already congested areas (eg outside the shop, for which more houses could be beneficial)
Medical facilities, short & longer term
Impact on the school and consequent traffic impact at drop-off / pick-up
Impact on shop, local businesses and pubs
Availability of village facilities, play park, allotments etc
Availability of suitable Village Hall
Loss of, or impact on, “green” environment
Impact on existing residents, loss of privacy
Alternative areas that might be more suitable for development
Visual impact on current environment
Scale of possible development, potential over development
Proximity to protected areas, eg Blackhill SSSI and Wild Woodbury

Click here to open Dorset Council Local Plan consultation site (with maps etc)

Click here to open page for submitting your comments
The link for the Online Survey where you submit your views is at the bottom of this page.

Dorset Council have just launched a Local Plan and Local Transport Plan consultation.

Update 14/10/25 – the consultation has been extended to 31/10/25, and email responses to planningpolicyconsult@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk are now acceptable.

Added 25/8/25 – the Parish Council are in the same position as everyone who has so far commented – we only saw this information towards the end of last week. We will be reviewing it in the next week or two, and will make our views known in due course. It will be discussed at the next Parish Council meeting (11 Sept.), and anyone who wishes to give their point of view is most welcome to attend.

The government requires every council to prepare a Local Plan and a Local Transport Plan. These plans outline how Dorset will develop and how we will maintain and improve transport in the area for decades to come.  The consultation is now open until 31 October 2025.

A post has been made on Facebook calling two sites in the village (Rye Hill and Snow Hill Lane/North Street) “proposed sites”. We think “proposed sites” is a bit strong – Dorset Council is calling them “opportunity sites” and if development were to proceed on any of these sites, and there are dozens across Dorset, that development would need planning permission in the normal way. However, Dorset Council and many other councils are under government pressure to provide more housing. Without a Dorset Local Plan, housing may be forced on us by central government – Dorset Council’s approach is to hold this consultation to review the huge number of potential sites across many of our towns and parishes, in order to come up with this long term plan (over the next 17 years).

The text below is copied from the Dorset Council website and contains links to the relevant local plan and local transport plan sections.

The Local Plan

The Local Plan guides how land in the Dorset Council area will be used. It covers:

• housing
• sites for businesses
• community infrastructure (parks, space for schools and other community services)
• town centres
• how we protect the natural environment

To make Dorset a better place to live the plan aims to:

• build enough good quality homes that fit Dorset’s character and meet housing needs
• set aside land for businesses to create job opportunities
• protect and enhance Dorset’s unique environment, support healthy lives, and promote clean energy

The Local Transport Plan

The Local Transport Plan (LTP) sets out goals and policies for improving transport in Dorset over the next 15 years. This plan is developed jointly with Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch Council (BCP).

The plan aims to:

• help everyone get around
• make travel safe and easy
• support jobs and homes by helping towns and villages grow in a suitable way
• protect our local environment by cutting down on pollution
• encourage more people to walk, wheel or cycle, reducing traffic congestion and promoting a healthier lifestyle

There are some public consultation sessions being held as below – 

From Dorset Council – July 2025

Camp Bestival, a family friendly music event, will take place in the grounds of Lulworth Castle between Thursday 31 July 2025 and Sunday 3 August 2025.  I have received a series of applications on behalf of Camp Bestival’s Traffic Management provider Event Traffic Control Ltd to prepare two Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders to coordinate traffic and pedestrian management arrangements for the forthcoming event.  These applications have been formulated, discussed and agreed at Safety Advisory Group forums by representatives from the Camp Bestival event, the emergency services, Dorset Council Highways Department and Parish and District Councils.  The first Order will effect a safe traffic management plan for ingress and egress, and will minimise the disruption caused by the event on the highway network.  This will create additional ingress routes, temporarily reduce the speed limits, and extend the existing clearway around East Lulworth village and the entrances to the event car parks (see map below).

The second Order will temporarily close footpaths through the event site, for safety and security reasons (see below at the end of this page).

Event visitors: Ingress
Thursday 31 July 2025 – Friday 1 August 2025

a) Visitors approaching from the West and the Midlands (A352/ A35/ M5) will be directed off the A352 at Burton Cross onto New Buildings Road.  A TTRO will be placed on New Buildings Road to make it one-way southbound, between 07.00hrs on Thursday 31 July 2025 and 17.00hrs on Sunday 3 August 2025. At the junction of New Buildings Road and B3071, traffic will be directed southwards towards the appropriate gate.

b) Visitors approaching from the East and the Home Counties (A31/ M27/ M3) will be directed south from Bere Regis.  At the Wool roundabout this traffic will be directed onto the A352, eastbound, and the B3070, over Holmebridge level crossing and the Army Ranges.  Then it will be directed southwards towards the appropriate gate.

c) Visitors approaching from the Poole / Bournemouth conurbation (A35 – Bakers Arms roundabout /A351 – Sandford Road) will be directed south on the Wareham by-pass (A351) at the Worgret roundabout.  The right hand turning lane at the junction of West Lane will be coned off so that traffic will continue onto the Stoborough roundabout.  Here it will be directed to take the fourth exit so that it returns along the Wareham by-pass and the left hand turn onto West Lane.  Traffic will then continue on West Lane turning right towards West Holme.  At West Holme crossroads traffic will be directed southwards onto the B3070 and over the Army Ranges towards the appropriate gate.  Traffic control (temporary traffic signals) will be in place at West Holme crossroads to ensure that traffic keeps moving in this area.

Saturday 2 August 2025 – Sunday 3 August 2025

All event visitor traffic arriving on these days will be directed to site via the B3070, Holmebridge / Army Ranges road, thus avoiding Wool village.

Event visitors: Egress
Thursday 31 July 2025 and Saturday 2 August 2025

a) All day-ticket traffic will be directed off site via the B3070 over the Army Ranges and Holmebridge Level Crossing to the A352.

Monday 4 August 2025

a)All traffic from the car parks on the north of the Camp Bestival site will be directed out via New Buildings Road, which will be made one-way, northbound, from 17.00hrs on Sunday 3 August 2025 until 15:00 on Monday 4 August 2025.  Signing at Burton Cross roundabout will direct traffic heading towards the West and the Midlands west along the A352 towards Dorchester.  Traffic heading towards the East and the Home Counties will be signed into Wool and across the level crossing towards Bere Regis and the A31 Trunk road. If traffic backs up severely here, there is a contingency to redirect it south to Burngate junction and then onto the B3070 over the Army Ranges and Holmebridge Level Crossing to the A352.

b) All other traffic leaving the site will be directed to the B3070 and over the Army Ranges and Holmebridge Level Crossing to the A352.

c) All traffic at the junction of B3070 and A352 (Holmebridge junction) will be directed left onto the A352, and then onto Bere Regis via the C6 (past Monkey World).

d) At Bere Regis signing will disperse traffic onto the A35T (towards Dorchester) or onto the A31T (towards Wimborne/ Ringwood).

d) Event traffic will not be signed onto the A351 (Wareham Bypass/ Sandford Road/ Bakers Arms roundabout) although, as public highway, it is open to all traffic.

Proposed Rights of Way closures:

The organisers have requested that the footpaths through the site be closed from 23.59hrs on Sunday 27th July 2025 until 23.59hrs on Tuesday 5^th August 2025.  This will allow the event site to be secured whilst it is established, during the event, and afterwards whilst the site is being dismantled.  The footways affected are:

1. Footpath number SE 13 / 2 (East Lulworth)
2. Footpath number SE 13 / 3 (East Lulworth)
3. Footpath number SE 10 / 4 (Coombe Keynes)

Please note that both the definitive line and the walk line of these footpaths will be closed, as indicated on the map below.

Our new Bere Regis community bus, or “Communibus” as it is commonly known, has now been sign written with its new logos etc. We are most grateful to Hardy Signs for their sponsorship of the Communibus project. The current schedule of trips for the second half of 2025 is below.

The Parish Council met on Thursday 12^th June 2025 in the Village Hall. One member of the public was present and we were pleased to welcome Dorset Cllr Mike Baker. Members of the press and public are welcome and there is a period for public participation at the start. If you are unable to attend but wish to submit a comment or question, please contact the Clerk or any member of the Parish Council.

Wyld Cabins
Representatives from Wyld Cabins and Crestview, together with Mr Chris Jowett of the Charborough Estate addressed members regarding their proposal to install approximately 50 luxury cabins in Bere Wood. The cabins would be set in 75acres of the 800acre Bere Wood site and would be between 23sqm and34sqm in size. The concept is one of a retreat to nature and, in addition to the cabins, it is anticipated that there would be two wellness pods consisting of a sauna and plunge pool and a small shop, together with a site office for the manager. The cabins would be rented for up to a week and there would be no long-term or permanent habitation on site. Any vehicles would be using the existing roads and parking would be between 50m and 400m from the cabins. The intention is for a high quality, bespoke experience with visitors being offered the option to purchase food hampers for their stay, made up from local produce.

Pre-application planning advice has been sought and the various nature surveys are underway. Access to the site would be via an existing ride from the A35, after the Sugar Hill turning and before the Bloxworth turning. Highways have confirmed that they would be happy with this access, subject to a small amount of work being undertaken at the junction with the A35. It is anticipated that the proposal will result in six extra vehicles across the 4hour check-in and check-out period. Cabin lights will be low impact and the cabins orientated away from existing paths and neighbouring cabins.

It is hoped that a prototype will be available for inspection prior to full implementation, should the application be approved but it is still very much in the planning stage. A copy of the brochure provided at the Parish Council meeting is available here.

Parish Council Roles & Vacancy
Now that our new councillors have settled into the role of a councillor, responsibilities have been determined. This is partly to provide parishioners with a first point of contact should they have a specific issue they wish to raise but also to give councillors a specific area of responsibility that they can take on. Any necessary training is provided for all areas and roles:

Planning – Cllrs Fairhurst, Bates, and Munnings
Finance – Cllrs Curtis and Walker
Parish Assets – Cllr Walker
Traffic – Cllr Walker
Allotments-  Cllr Hawkins
Environment + Trees – Cllrs Bates and Hawkins
Human Resources-  Cllrs Walker and Curtis
Play Area Cllrs – Bardwell and Hazell
Village Events – Cllr Percy
Community Liaison – Cllrs Curtis and Percy
Website, IT + Publications – Cllrs Walker and Bardwell
Rights of Way – Cllr Walker
Children + Youth – Cllrs Curtis and Hazell
DAPTC Rep – Cllr Hawkins
Thomas Williams – Rep Cllr Munnings
Village Hall Rep – Cllr Park
School Liaison – Cllr Hazell
Parochial Church Council – Cllr Curtis

Both the Chair and the Clerk are also available to contact on any issue, should you wish. Contact information for each councillor will be available on the Parish Council website.

As you can see, the Parish Council is involved in many areas of village life. We do still have one vacancy for a councillor. So, if you think you could contribute to both the Parish Council and the village, please contact any member of the Parish Council or the Clerk for more information.

Path Cutting
At the start of each meeting, a period of time is set aside for any members of the public present to raise any points of concern they may have. The issue of the footpath running along the bank by Rye Hill Farm was raised. During the time the farm was occupied, this path was cut back and the bank maintained. However, for the last five years, this has not been done. As a result, the vegetation has been allowed to encroach more and more onto the pathway. As a result, there are times when it is necessary to walk in the road to get past. Dorset Cllr Mike Baker offered to take this up with Highways to determine who is responsible for maintaining the bank and to get the vegetation cut back.

Community Speed Watch (CSW)
The CSW team are now managing to get out more frequently and, thanks to their efforts and the placement of the Speed Indicator Devices, the speed of vehicles is being noticeably reduced. The team were out three times in April and provided data on 33 vehicles travelling in excess of 35mph, with a maximum speed recorded at 46mph. Because we have a CSW, the Police camera crew visit more frequently which further deters speeding. However, as with all volunteer initiatives, more people are needed to help. If you can spare a couple of hours a month, please, please let the Clerk know and your name will be passed to the CSW team.

Effluent Discharges into the Bere Stream
This was reported by Dorset Wildlife Trust in last month’s magazine. Cllr Bates has confirmed that the Wildlife Group would be happy to undertake aquatic invertebrate and fish monitoring in the stream. He has asked the Dorset Wildlife Trust SNCI Officer to give them guidance and help with equipment. This is the recognised way of monitoring stream and river health. If you would like to assist with this, please contact either the Clerk or Cllr Bates for more information.

Play Park
Many of you will have noticed that the ground level trampoline has had to be removed. Whilst this is regrettable, we were informed by our insurers that they would no longer be willing to insure its use. This makes it even more important that a new play park is created. If you are able to help with the fund raising for this, please contact either Cllr Bardwell or Cllr Hazell.

Next Meeting – The next meeting will be held on Thursday 10^th July 2025 commencing 7pm at the Village Hall. If you wish to have an item added to the agenda for discussion, please contact the Clerk or a member of the Parish Council. A full copy of the minutes is available on the Parish Council website.