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7 Community, Leisure and Recreation

7.1 Important community, recreational and leisure sites

7.1.1 The area is fortunate to have a good range of local services and facilities, many of which benefit from the added income from tourism and visitors to the area. Some are owned and managed by the Parish Council, by community groups or are run commercially (such as in the case of the local village shops and pubs). Key facilities are:

Abbotsbury:

  • Cemetery: grounds of St Nicholas Church
  • Community halls: Strangways Hall
  • Education services: Chesil Bank Pre-School (at Strangways Hall)
  • Leisure and recreation: allotments, childrens’ play park, recreation ground, cricket pitch and pavilion
  • Local convenience shops: Spar shop/Post Office, Farm Shop
  • Places of worship: St Nicholas Church
  • Pubs: Swan Inn, Ilchester Arms

Portesham:

  • Cemetery: Portesham Cemetery
  • Community halls: Portesham Village Hall
  • Education services: Portesham Primary School and Sports Field
  • Healthcare services: Portesham GP Surgery
  • Leisure and recreation: allotments (West Elworth), play park, playing fields (West Elworth) including a sports pavilion, tennis court and recreation area (see para. 7.1.3)
  • Local convenience shops: farm shop (and a part time post office was run from the village hall).
  • Place of worship: Portesham Methodist Church, St Peter’s Church
  • Pub: The Kings Arms

Langton Herring:

  • Cemetery: Langton Herring Cemetery
  • Community halls: Langton Herring Village Hall
  • Leisure and recreation: childrens’ play area, Langton Herring amenity area
  • Places of worship: St Peter’s Church.
  • Pub: The Elm Tree Inn (designated as an Asset of Community Value)

Fleet:

  • Cemetery: grounds of Holy Trinity Church
  • Places of worship: Holy Trinity Church.

Figure 16: Spar Shop, Abbotsbury

figure 16

Figure 17: Portesham Village Hall

figure 17

7.1.2 Through the various consultations, there appears to be general consensus that additional facilities / activities for young people would be welcomed, for example a skate park or local gym / trim trail, and organised opportunities for martial arts and football training.

7.1.3 The Parish Council has been investigating how the pavilion and recreation facilities in West Elworth could be improved. A waterless toilet was installed on the site in 2017, with works done to improve the water and sewerage in preparation for further works. In Summer 2022 new portable goal posts were installed, the tennis court was refurbished and the allotments expanded. The next phase planned is the replacement of the pavilion. As it is outside of the village it is also not particularly accessible for those without a car, so another project could be to see whether a safer pedestrian / cycle link to playing fields might be possible.

7.1.4 Any anticipated change, closure or expansion should be discussed with the Parish Council at the earliest opportunity.

CBNP12. Community and recreational facilities

Development proposals to expand existing community, recreational and leisure facilities for local residents will be supported in principle. The provision of a new facilities will be supported within or adjoining the settlements of Abbotsbury, Portesham, Langton Herring and Fleet, provided that it can be accommodated without unacceptable impact on the environment, local amenity and any resulting vehicular movements can be safely accommodated on the rural road network. The design of any such facilities should include access and car parking provision that caters for disabled users.

Development proposals that would result in the loss of, or a reduction in, a key facility (as listed) will not be supported, unless:

  1. secure arrangements are in place to ensure that the service or facility will be replaced by a similar one of equal or greater value to the community, or
  2. the service or facility is no longer needed by the community and the premises / site would not be appropriate for alternative community use, or
  3. in the case of privately-owned services and facilities, a financial viability report has been submitted and steps have been taken over at least a six month period to secure alternative business, community or social enterprise use.

Project 3. Youth Facilities project

The Parish Council will support local volunteers, including young people, to investigate what additional facilities / activities for young people would be welcomed, how existing facilities can be made easier to access by young people, and how these improvements can be funded.

7.2 Recreational access to the countryside

7.2.1 Being on the coast and within the Dorset AONB, it is perhaps no surprise that there are also many opportunities for leisure and recreation. There are plenty of opportunities to go walking in the countryside using the extensive rights of way network, including the South West Coast Path, Ridgeway Walk, Macmillan Way and Hardy Way. Some parts of these routes are designated as bridleways and can also be used by equestrians.

7.2.2 The network brings multiple benefits for health (both in terms of people’s physical and mental well-being) and the local economy (as a major resource and attraction for visitors who may stay locally or use the local services). The routes are also important in providing access to some of the most spectacular views in the area. However due to their popularity some of the paths are vulnerable to over-use, and therefore the provision of alternative routes that can help divert pressure from the ‘hotspots’ is something to be encouraged.

CBNP13. Recreational access to the countryside

The improvement and expansion of the existing public rights of way network, permissive paths and open access land will be supported, and should focus on:

  • creating a joined-up network of paths and spaces that provide a wide variety of options in terms of circular routes;
  • providing effective management for visitor and wildlife benefit, and reducing the pressure on those paths and sites that are most vulnerable to over-use.

Development that would adversely impact on access to the public rights of way network in the parish will not be supported unless this is necessary to avoid harmful recreational pressure on adjoining wildlife sites.

Where new development would generate an adverse level of demand on the existing recreational network of accessible green spaces and rights of way, additional provision will be sought in order to mitigate any substantial cumulative harm, at a level appropriate to the scale and likely impact of the development.


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