West Parley
Parish Plan
20 Dec 2011
The Parish Plan is now online. To find out what the residents want for their Parish
please click here
Register here
to be updated(now and again but not daily!) on important news and events affecting West Parley.
Parish Council January Newsletter Out Now
to get up to date with the latest . .
click here
Neighbourhood Watch
December Newsletter out now
WPRA is pleased to link up with Neighbourhood Watch, an outstanding organisation whose work we all benefit from. To see their latest newsletter . . click here
Affordable Housing
what it is and isn't . .
click here
WPRA Volunteers Cracking On!
July 2010
West Parley's finest never give up! There has been some wonderful work going on in the neighbourhood, please
click here to see what they have been up to!
Memorial Hall
18 Nov 2009
This elderly but capacious and useful Hall is one of West Parley's central features. Unfortunately the surrounds and approaches to the Hall have been rather neglected in recent years and has just been re-turfed!...more
Night Flying
at the Airport
25 Sept 2009,
Night flights are down on last year, and don't look like increasing...more
WPRA Appeal
WPRA was heartened by the amount of support it received in the recent appeal for funding - the sum of £1900 pounds was donated by West Parley residents. This will enable us to go on working for the village, fighting the threats to our environment from unsustainable development proposals, maintaining the flower displays at Parley Cross, and trying to keep West Parley neat and tidy.
To all those who gave - thank you for your support.
Stour and Avon Magazine, - Chairman speaks up
29 Jan 2012
In response to a one-sided article in the Stour and Avon Magazine, Richard Heaslip - the Chairman of the Residents Association - sets out the current state of play with regard to housing in the Green Belt.
The lead article last week was the district council's side of a two sided story. It said that 520 houses were to be built in West Parley, 280 in Verwood, 259 in Corfe Mullen, 140 in Ferndown - but left out the number planned for Wimborne, 1300. It failed to mention that all these houses (save 90) are to be built in the Green Belt. Much has changed in these plans since they were last issued as "Options" in September 2010, but it has all been behind closed doors. Neither local councillors or residents have been involved in any of the details. This is despite a clear Government policy that old fashioned "top down" planning should cease. Planning should now start with the aspirations of communities and only then move to the professional council planners.
And what are the aspirations of local communities? Very clearly, not to have houses in the Green Belt. In West Parley, for instance, an authoritative Parish Plan Survey completed by over 60 per cent of residents shows over 80 per cent against building estates in the green belt (but 80 per cent in favour of adding another 100 or so extra houses to the present 1630 as West Parley's sustainable share). Opinion in other communities is broadly comparable. The district council's meeting on 5th March is artfully described as an uncontentious vote on "whether the Core Strategy is fit for purpose". But make no mistake, it is a crucial vote to turn what were 2010's building "Options" into 2012's building plans.
Where and how is this meeting to be held? Outside East Dorset, would you believe, in the Village Hotel, Bournemouth at 6pm on 5th March. That is just outside Bournemouth Hospital - parking is scarce; no buses go there from East Dorset's communities; the time is not convenient for workers. And to cap it all the Council has, without so far giving a proper reason, styled it as an "Extraordinary" meeting at which the public cannot speak. Local Democracy in East Dorset is in a sad way and councillors should be examining their consciences for letting this happen in their name.
Church Lane Footpath - West Parley Volunteers replace old stile
John Cullen, Alan Macdonald and Terry Scott
get down to business
26 Jan 2012
The old stile at the New Road entrance to the Church Lane footpath had been there since time immemorial - not really a stile, but two iron bars giving the user an awkward choice of climbing over or squeezing through. Not too friendly for senior citizens.
our brand new stile
On Thursday this week the West Parley Volunteers replaced it with a proper swinging gate, paid for and authorised by the Parish Council. Fancy getting involved? Click here for contact details and to find out what our volunteers get up to!
District Council publishes new green belt housing proposals
21 Jan 2012
520 houses to be built in West Parley on the Dudsbury Heights and New Road fields
Then tell them what you think before they vote on 5 March.
to get the addresses please click here.
Save the Green Belt - write to the District Councillors
whats wrong with
the Parish Plan?
This is the very worst example of top down planning - which this Government has said it is against. In a detailed survey for our Parish Plan, responded to by more than half the electorate, 80% said they were against these large scale green belt building plans. We said that about 100 new houses, built along the main roads, would be a sustainable number for the village of West Parley.
The District Councillors will vote on these plans early in March. There is still time for democracy to come into play here. 25 of the 36 District Councillors live in or near areas where green belt fields are likely to be affected, so they are likely to be open to the public's concerns. click here for their addresses.
Use these long winter evenings to write to them or email them with your views. It takes a bit of time, to be sure - but what will we all think if the bulldozers start to churn up the green belt in two or three years time and we wonder why we didn't do more about it?
to get the addresses please click here.
Residents updated on green field planning
residents find out what the future holds
05 December 2011
Chairman Richard Heaslip made the following presentation at a crowded meeting (150) in the Memorial Hall Friday 2 December 2011: He explained the sequence of meetings and consultations that lay ahead starting in February, and the key arguments against the possible schemes in West Parley. He laid stress on the lack of democracy in the top down planning, which went against the well demonstrated wishes of West Parley as expressed in the Parish Plan survey results, as well as current Government policy
Its time to get involved again! Please read this informative speech in full. . click here
West Parley Volunteers go from strength to strength
01 December 2011
The West Parley Volunteers have been very active this year in a number of different projects designed to make our lovely village an even more attractive place to live. Over 80 volunteers working in various groups are making a big impact on the appearance of the village, many of whom give a good deal of their time on a regular basis. Recently Chris Chope MP attended a special presentation evening to honour our volunteers, and awards were given out to those who had made a special contribution.
Frank Trollope
Among those honoured were:
Frank Trollope is a most regular attendee at the Working Party
Jon Ladd has been a most conscientious member of the watering team
Marianne Parker has on all occasions prepared/addressed 500+ leaflets and then delivered up to 100.
Lorna-Jean Heaslip is one of the most regular litter collectors of our group
Andy Steele and Diana Penwill empty the bins at the Rec reation Ground and they also play a regular part as members of the Litter Squad
for details of how to volunteer please see our volunteers page
or the Parish Council volunteers page
Millhams press release
25 May 2011
Dorset Waste Partnerships announces that all East Dorset residents can now use Millhams Community Recycling Centre(tip) by showing their council tax bill from East Dorset. This ends the existing voucher scheme. Please let your friends and neighbours know!
Planning Application for new storey on top of Tesco Express: 4 new flats and 5 parking spaces lost.
07 Jan 2011
This planning application was put in by the owners of the building presently leased to Tesco Express. It will add a new storey, clad in silver and grey metallic coating, on top of the building. There will be 4 new flats in this storey and the storey below. 5 parking spaces will be taken in the area where the recyling bins are presently.
Please click here to see the plans.
West Parley Parish Council objected to the planning application. WPRA objected, on the grounds that already scarce parking spaces would go to the new flat owners instead of the WP public, and the new storey would be an odd looking break in the shopping parade skyline. It is WPRA's understanding that changes in the skyline of a street are generally not permitted.
At the hearing, West Parley District Councillor Barbara Manuel spoke against the application.
The District Council's Planning Committee overrode all the West Parley views and granted the planning application.
Canford Bottom Roundabout to be altered in time for the Olympic Games.
09 Sept 2010
The Highways Agency has just sent the following information to WPRA:
Following study, investigation and design it is proposed to convert the existing Canford Bottom roundabout into a fully signalised Hamburger Junction, formally known as a Through-About. The proposed works will alter the operational dynamics of the junction, and will significantly improve journey times along the A31 as well as the local arms.
The Highways Agency currently have funding to undertake detailed design this financial year and have bid for construction costs for next financial year.
Assuming funding is achieved, we plan to commence a 22-week construction programme in April 2011. This is based upon an indicative programme at this stage. A more detailed programme will be established over the coming months.
It is planned to hold an informal open day, or similar, in the local parish hall prior to construction. This will give local residents an opportunity to ask questions and to keep them in the picture. Exact dates and format will follow in the first quarter of 2011, however it is anticipated an event of this nature will be held in February / March following a final decision to fund the project.
Village Fete - Saints and Heroes
19 June 2010
For the first time in a number of years, a West Parley Village Fete was held on the Recreation Ground behind the Memorial Hall. It was well organised by Linda Baker and Garnet Lambert and many other helpers, in aid of historic All Saints Church at the bottom of Church Lane, and for our wounded servicemen from Afghanistan.
Blessed by a sunny day, the fete was a considerable success. People flowed in and out in a constant stream all afternoon. There were bands, shows, events, children's races, stalls, try your luck booths, burgers, teas - all the traditional elements of a good English afternoon out with the family.
Those who didn't catch our Rector singing Old Man River in the tea hall missed the finest voice in the district.
It is understood that as well as giving everyone a happy afternoon, the fete raised in the order of £3000 for our servicemen and the historic church.
WPRA thinks the fete should be continued next year - but unfortunately Linda Baker will not be here to do it.
What do you think? Should WPRA and the Parish Council get together to see that it goes ahead? Anyone prepared to help? Give us your views.
West Parley PACT
Partners and Communities Together
Who are we?
We are part of a national scheme set up to engage local communities and find out what issues are important to the residents and then tackle the problems raised. The West Parley PACT had its inaugural meeting on May 19. Representatives of WP Parish Council, WP Residents’ Association, Parley First School, your Safer Neighbourhood Police Team, Dorset Fire & Rescue, Neighbourhood Watch and Memorial Hall Committee are on the PACT Panel.
Our first priorities are parking on Glenmoor Rd outside Parley First School and unnecessary long term parking outside the Parley Cross shopping parade. Further information will appear on the Community noticeboard.
How to contact us:
PCSO Alan Downing can be contacted on 07825 521752 or at alan.downing@dorset.pnn.police.uk
The Clerk to WP Parish council or Chairman of West Parley Residents Association can deal with your enquiries.
WPRA volunteers at work again
March 2010
Now that Spring is here, WPRA volunteers are back on the job of keeping West Parley neat and tidy. Work started 30 March at the historic All Saints Church at the bottom of Church Lane, helping the Churchwarden Derek Hyatt in his sterling efforts to restore the churchyard.
Other work this year - in addition to the all year round task of litter picking and maintaining the flowers at Parley Cross - will focus on keeping the pavements clear and work on the Millenium Garden near the Memorial Hall.
Hurn Waste Plant Plans Scrapped
08 Dec 2009
The centrepiece of Dorset County Council's Waste Strategy, briefed extensively at a series of public meetings this year, was a large scale incinerator waste plant to be built at Hurn Airport.
Needless to say this has been vigorously opposed by local residents on grounds of cost, pollution, danger to aircraft from bird strikes, and local traffic impact. Also, there are now extensive and modern waste disposal and recycling facilities at Canford Magna.
WPRA has just learned that DCC have cancelled their plans for this Waste Plant on grounds of cost and rapidly changing technology, combined with the availability of other local facilities.
WPRA Hosts Reception for Volunteers
23 Oct 2009
Local resident Cllr John Wilson, Chairman of Dorset County Council, was the principal guest at a West Parley Residents Association reception at St Marks Church Hall.
WPRA was thanking the many volunteers who keep the village clean and tidy - watering the flowers, litter picking the roads and restoring the pavements.
In his speech Cllr Wilson said how important community volunteers were to DCC, especially at this time of restricted Council expenditure, and complimented WPRA on what was being achieved.
Thanks for your support
07 May 2011
keepwestparleygreen has won all 11 seats on the Parish Council in a landslide victory. The turnout was a record 73.8%. keepwestparleygreen would like to thank everyone who has supported us with their votes and encouragement, especially all our volunteers without whose tireless help nothing would get done. There will shortly be a meeting to install the new Parish Council and then keepwestparleygreen will begin its work of looking after lovely West Parley, its residents and its green belt.
to see the detailed vote count please click here
to see what the Echo said please click here
New Roads through West Parley?
10 Jan 2011
The £1million+ South East Dorset Transport Study (being done by consultants Atkins for the Dorset Councils) has been running for 2 years and is nearing its end.
In its ideas for the longer term - beyond 2020 - are some new and perhaps surprising plans, which include a road from the Airport to join Magna Road somewhere between Bear Cross and Gravel Hill.
The exact route is not yet known, but the new road would have to go through the fields and by Parley Court, across Church Lane, over the fields and across New Road somewhere between the bridge and Dudsbury Gardens, on through the fields again and over the Stour at some point, thence North of Kinson and Bearwood and joining the A341 at some point.
WPRA will be keeping an eye on this. Should the plans develop further - and of course there is no money available to pay for them yet - the debate should be interesting!
Please click here to see more, and to have your say in their consultation if you wish, (or for the SEDTS home page please click here)
WPRA's Annual Volunteer Party
at St Marks Church Hall
29 Oct 2010
Autumn is here - the time when WPRA gives its annual party for our volunteers. And very welcome they were too.
Chairman Richard Heaslip, in thanking our small army of volunteers, said how proud we were to have such a large
and enthusiastic team giving their time to keep the village attractive and tidy.
volunteers of the year -
sisters Mary and Jenny Mogg
This year the volunteers, led by committee member Alan Macdonald, have helped to restore the All Saints churchyard, maintained and watered the flower displays at Parley Cross, kept our principal roads clear of litter, cleared pavements, trimmed hedges, and planted daffodils.
The Parley Cross Tesco Express kindly donated the food and drink at the party, served by 4 of their young and cheerful staff. Everyone showed their appreciation with a good hand.
District Councillor Barbara Manuel presented the Volunteer of the Year award to sisters Mary and Jenny Mogg, tireless tea makers at public meetings, and flower waterers
West Parley Parish Plan Survey
30 Sept 2010
This survey form is being distributed to every house in West Parley from 2 October. Your responses will form the basis of our Parish Plan, which is being coordinated by WPRA and the Parish Council. It is worth completing this easy-to-read form. Please return it in the Freepost envelope provided. We are all in this together; ask your neighbours if they have filled in their survey forms
When completed in 2011 the West Parley Parish Plan will set out how we want to see West Parley in 5 to 10 years time. Do we want a new centre, more facilities, footpaths, trees, walks - do we want more houses - if so, where - do we want to protect the green belt - what else would you like to see (or not see) here?
The completed Parish Plan will be on record as a guide to Councils in their planning. Don't miss the chance to have your input. We are all in this together; ask your neighbours if they have filled in their survey forms as well.
Core Strategy and Green Belt meeting
09 Sept 2010
East Dorset District Council will hold a joint meeting with Christchurch Borough Council at 5pm Wednesday 29 September (public entrance from 4.30pm) at the Village Hotel, Bournemouth (opposite Bournemouth Hospital) The public may attend but will be forbidden (unusually) from speaking or making presentations.
They are meeting jointly because they are to produce a joint "Core Strategy" - a forward looking vision for the area which will guide planners. Also - and this is the heart of it for residents - they will approve the terms and details of a public consultation, from October to December, on Council building proposals.
These proposals are likely to be based on the ones we saw in the now discredited Regional Spatial Strategy plans for building large estates in the green belt at Corfe Mullen, Wimborne and West Parley. We thought they had gone when the Coalition Government abolished the RSS, but it turns out that our (Conservative) Council has never abandoned the idea despite well known and overwhelming local opposition.
WPRA understands that they may be particularly hard on West Parley, with large numbers of affordable homes possible in the big New Road field and also on Dudsbury Heights, between Ridgeway and Christchurch Road.
WPRA will publish the detailed proposals on the website as soon as they are released. We are also holding a major public meeting at St Mark's Church Hall at 7pm Friday 15 October - at which we will tell you all the details of the new building proposals and the consultations - and what we can do about it.
Parish Plan Latest
1 Aug 2010
At the 16 July meeting some 30 volunteers, councillors and WPRA made a lively and spirited scene in the Memorial Hall at a Parish Plan workshop event, thinking out between them the key questions to be put in our September West Parley all house survey.
This survey will be distributed in mid September, with a freepost reply envelope, and the answers will be the basis on which the parish plan will be built up.
We are trying to think of the big questions here - what do we want West Parley to look like in 10 years time? What facilities do we want it to have? How do we want it to work?
Feel free to have your say on this at any time - an email or letter to any of our committee (contact details on this website) will be welcomed.
Parish Plan Moves On
30 June 2010
Our Parish Plan - our formal statement on what we want West Parley to be in 5 to 10 years (as well as what we don't want it to be!) is moving ahead under the joint leadership of the Parish Council and WPRA.
Workshop Meeting at the Memorial Hall
7.30pm Friday 16 July
The next stage is to compile questions for the all house survey/questionnaire which will go out in September. Remember that this is meant to be a bottom up plan where the views of the residents count most, so it is vital that the questions we ask are the ones that matter.
We are going to work on this at a Workshop Meeting at the Memorial Hall at 7.30pm Friday 16 July - we are asking anyone who is interested in the future of the village and wants to have a say, to come and help us. We must see that all aspects of life get covered in the survey. If you have always thought that West Parley could be improved in some way or another, be there on Friday and see that your point gets written down.
West Parley Parish Plan
26 May 2010
A very successful public meeting, chaired by Richard Heaslip from WPRA and Ron Daw from WPPC, was held in the Memorial Hall on 25 May. Simon Woodcock from the District Council and Margaret Phipps from Hurn Parish Council spoke on their experiences with these plans. John Cullen WPRA expanded on how residents individually could help with inputs on aspects of life and work in West Parley in which they were particularly interested.
As a result we had no less than 24 volunteers, and are well and truly on our way.
The next step will be an all house West Parley survey/questionnaire later in the Summer. This will give us a firm basis of residents views and aspirations for West Parley.
lovely West Parley - worth protecting
We are always looking for more residents/businesses/organisations to take part in forming this plan, which will be sent to Councils as West Parleys formal statement of how we want the village to be in 5 to 10 years time - what we want (and what we don't want) in the way of community facilities, health care, road safety, paths, traffic, parking, the environment, care for the elderly, housing, shops, recreation and sport etc etc.
If you would like to help, contact
John Cullen (582662) or Richard Heaslip (594982)
New Yellow Bus Route 29
13 Mar 2010
Fancy a day out at the beach or take in the museums and facilities of Bournemouth?
From 19th April a new hourly bus service from Monday to Saturday, 7am to 6pm, will run from West Moors through the centre of Ferndown and West Parley via Winton to the centre of Bournemouth. The new 29 service starts on 19th April.
for more details click here
for Route Map click here
for Timetable click here
Never a dull moment!
05 February 2010
A very lively meeting took place at the Memorial Hall, West Parley with keynote speaker Gemma Coles, Waste Reduction Manager, EDDC, followed by news and views on all the burning local issues.
Gemma Coles, Waste Reduction Manager, EDDC
and John Cullen WPRA talk to local residents
Our Post Office has a new home
good news all round
03 Nov 2009.
The Post Office in West Parley has opened in the Pharmacy at Parley Cross.
There was a special opening with a warm welcome from Mitesh Patel, owner of the Pharmacy and the new Postmaster. Outside, the Lions Club were running a raffle with prizes for the first 50 customers. Inside, Mitel was trying his hand (gingerly) at selling stamps instead of prescriptions. The actual Sub Postmaster who will operate the Post Office is Matthew Andrew, who ran the Post Office for a short time after Maureen at the Co-op.
We lost our Post Office in mid September when the Co-op, its former home, closed. Now, in just over 6 weeks, we have it back. There has been a lot of action behind the scenes; credit is due to Post Office Ltd who showed a sense of urgency over the matter, and to Mitesh Patel at the West Parley Pharmacy who is our new Postmaster as well as Pharmacist.
Throop to Hurn footpath - we win.
Proposed Sustrans route
03 Nov 2009.
Dorset County Council has informed WPRA that it has been decided that the walking/cycling/riding route known as "Sustrans" will go from Throop to Hurn via Pigshoot Lane and not (as Hurn had lobbied hard for) via West Parley and Church Lane.
For the background story.. more
Dorset County Council briefs WPRA on local road plans
time for change on our roads
Paul Willis, Dorset County Council's Group Manager Transport Planning told WPRA about their plans for £63 million local road improvements. The money will come from Regional Funds and developers contributions. The work is planned for 2016, but it is possible that some money will be available for work to start a year or two earlier.
Their priorities are the connection from the airport to the A338 Bournemouth spur road; Parley Cross; and the Hurn roundabout. They also plan to improve the Chapel Gate roundabout on the B3073, and to put an extra lane on the B3073.
The works have been planned in detail (although there are alternatives for Parley Cross and Hurn Roundabout and some changes may still be made. To see the plans . .click here
Want to keep West Parley looking beautiful?
Our new campaign video is complete.
Darian Weir was brought up in West Parley. He now owns a film post-production business in London. See his powerful presentation of our case!
Click here to see we mean business!
Now we know where the building sites are.
Instructed by the government, East Dorset District Council has just completed the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment. Bad news for West Parley! ..more