Skip Navigation

Browse our services

Christchurch

Christchurch is an attractive town with its own distinctive character set on the edge of Bournemouth. The town centre, with its priory and riverbank setting is probably familiar to many of the visitors who come to the town and has a large thriving business base with over 1,200 companies.

Communications

The town is located close to Bournemouth with easy access to the A338 to the north. The town has a railway station and is in close proximity to Bournemouth International Airport.

Education

Christchurch school pyramid:

Two infant schools

Two junior schools

Five primary schools

Three secondary schools

The Secondary schools for the town are Grange School (642 pupils) Twynham School (1,591 pupils) Highcliffe School (1,425 pupils) all 2011

For more information on Twynham School (opens in a new window)

For more information on Highcliffe School (opens in a new window)

Commercial land

Between 1994-10, 18.1 hectares of industrial land has been developed in Christchurch. The total area of land with permission or allocated in local plans is 82.9 hectares (March 2010). Most of the industrial development for Christchurch (and north Bournemouth) will take place at Bournemouth Airport, where 72 hectares of land are available.

Crime

Domestic burglaries

Rate per 1,000 households

Area2002/032003/042004/052005/062006/072007/082008/2009 2009/10
Christchurch
1.73.52.24.84.6n/a4.74.6
DCC Dorset
6.66.66.55.74.4n/a
4.1
3.8
South West
14.812.310.78.98.4n/a
8.2
7.6
England and Wales
20.018.6 (GB)14.413.513.1n/a
12.2
11.6

Source:  Dorset County Council

Other sources of crime data

Access the  Police crime mapping Christchurch (opens in a new window) where you can find crime data on a month by month basis (starting December 2010) mapped to neighbourhood and street level. This looks at the crime types of burglary, anti-social behaviour, robbery, vehicle crime, violent crime and other crime. Note this comprehensive and up-to-date database only looks at numbers of crimes and not crime rates for individual crimes. It does give an overall crime rate (per 1,000 people) for the neighbourhood.

Population

Latest population figure (2010 mid year estimate) for the town is 47,300

Year
1921
1931
1951
1961
1971
1981
1991
2001
Census population
(enumerated)
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
34,100
37,700
40,330
44,868

Housing growth

Year
98
99
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007200820092010
Housing development
267120
125
101131
76
208
87
131
128190101102

The 2001 Census records 21,769 dwellings in Christchurch.
Since 2001, a further 1,154 have been built giving a total of 22,923.  At March 2010, a further 424 units have permission and 15 have been allocated in the local plan.

NOTE: Figures allow for losses from re-development etc. Method revised 2009

Index of deprivation, 2007

(Figures show SOA ranking out of 247 SOAs in Dorset with 1 being the most deprived)

SOA
Multiple
Income
Employment
Health
Education & skills
Housing & Services
Crime
Living
Bargates
52
403760
110 
131 
83 
 22
Barracks
 109
 81
 56
71
 103
 210
 40
 109
Burton Central
 112
 84
 73
89
 51
 189
 79
 119
Burton Whitehayes
 138
 103
 105
118
 78
 118
 121
 127
Burton Green & Winkton
 122
 62
 104
170
 109
 170
 32
 147
Canberra Road
 150
 156
 76
185
 107
 185
 30
 158
Chewton
 103
 87
 47
103
 154
 103
 133
 80
Christchurch Harbour
 32
 31
 33
144
 75
 144
 11
 88
Fairmile North
 148
 101
 125
76
 132
 76
 185
 196
Fairmile South & Hospital
113
 54
 66
183
 106
 183
 114
 116
Friars Cliff
 203
 222
 144
77
 236
 77
 151
 217
Highcliffe
 164
 198
 43
151
 195
 151
 94
 194
Highcliffe West
 146
 139
 68
84
 220
 84
 139
 156
Hintonwood
 204
 227
 131
100
 197
 100
 107
 198
Hobourne North
 176
 205
 122
68
 210
 68
 91
 170
Hobourne South & Runway
 193
 180
 158
70
 217
 70
 227
 238
Hurn
 106
 120
 86
56
 130
 56
 48
 139
Jumpers Common
 53
 35
 44
114
 58
 114
49
124
Mudeford North
85
48
87
72
92
72
103
130
Mudeford Quay
186
178
153
87
233
87
87
171
Portfield
149
72
147
207
143
207
70
73
Priory
152
153
173
212
171
212
5
74
Purewell
43
15
36
178
32
178
18
199
River Way
205
185
137
137
231
137
159
175
Somerford East
6
5
6
88
2
88
37
50
Somerford South
17
20
15
141
9
141
65
81
Somerford West
9
4
13
92
1
92
17
53
Stanpit
174
155
80
223
164
223
62
149
Walkford
105
67
75
54
134
54
129
179
Wingfield
181
228
124
52
147
52
181
221

SOA = Super Output Area (minimum 400 households or 1,000 population). Note: The figures in the health column are revised from those published in the 2008 Dorset Databook.

Index of deprivation, 2010

Multiple Income Employment Health Education & Skills Housing & services Crime Living
Bargates50 49 36 111 106 150 37 21
Barracks138 85 82 118 136 226 87 77
Burton - Central136 72 103 166 46 211 132 132
Burton - Whitehayes161 125 135 180 98 106 129 158
Burton Green & Winkton139 73 129 135 101 160 33 138
Canberra Road157 149 79 146 157 205 74 125
Chewton125 77 71 106 182 119 179 92
Christchurch Harbour69 30 42 103 107 133 84 122
Fairmile North186 140 140 179 124 104 230 202
Fairmile South & Hospital142 66 72 143 121 212 209 134
Friars Cliff212 211 180 210 245 75 99 210
Highcliffe203 236 115 138 209 128 100 197
Highcliffe West187 131 112 195 226 113 195 181
Hintonwood224 242 179 215 208 103 117 233
Hobourne North194 202 148 199 178 85 60 213
Hobourne South & Runway215 187 233 230 205 71 184 205
Hurn153 139 98 161 140 88 97 162
Jumpers Common51 29 37 81 28 158 101 144
Mudeford North115 50 105 172 114 89 98 145
Mudeford Quay214 182 222 209 242 94 62 218
Portfield144 67 119 160 144 220 115 63
Priory154 161 182 217 195 223 7 69
Purewell72 25 47 176 48 179 72 179
River Way225 199 176 214 241 140 157 196
Somerford East9 6 9 22 2 99 36 49
Somerford South25 14 29 58 7 183 45 117
Somerford West14 4 14 44 1 111 25 60
Stanpit199 130 152 177 194 232 85 155
Walkford126 62 97 218 93 67 123 191
Wingfield197 222 138 173 177 66 224 240

Please seeThe Index of Deprivation, 2010 for detailed information and mapping. 

Source: DCLG

Average house prices

Dwelling typeAverage Price  July - Sept 2009Average Price  July - Sept 2010 July - Sept 2010 (sales)
Detached£318,622£346,20591
Semi-detached£224,140£294,40236
Terraced£302,078£252,77143
Flats/maisonettes£163,966£173,68457

Land Registry average prices.(Prices may be affected by low number of sales). Figures relate to postcode sectors BH23 1, BH23 2, BH23 3, BH23 4 and BH23 5.

Area:


Approx. 'built-up' area =  1,590 hectares (3,930 acres)

Local authority revenue

Council tax band D for YearCouncil tax payable
11/12£1,583.26
 10/11£1,583.26
 09/10
£1,535.06
 08/09
£1,479.40
 07/08
£1,414.83
 06/07
£1,348.59
05/06
£1,285.25
 04/05
£1,235.36
 03/04
£1,156.93
 02/03
£1,011.99
01/02
£904.13
 00/01
£858.96
99/00
£815.59

Second/Holiday and Empty Homes, 2011

Total dwellings on Council Tax Register23,149
Total number of second homes755
Second homes as a % of total dwellings
3.26
Total number of long term empty properties190
Empty homes as a % of total dwellings
0.81

Source: Council Tax Register (all district figure, rounded)

Population: 2010 Mid year estimates

Gender breakdown
DCC Dorset
Christchurch
Resident population
404,790
47,300
Males
196,420
22,552
Females
208,370
24,750

Age Structure (%):  2010 Mid Year Estimates

Age range
DCC Dorset
Christchurch
0-15
17.0
15.8
16+17
2.7
2.2
18-44
25.4
24.9
45-59
20.9
19.3
60-84
30.0
32.8
85+
3.9
4.9

Ethnicity (%): 2001 Census data

Ethnicity
DCC Dorset
Christchurch
White British (%)
96.8
96.8
BME
3.2
3.2

Health: 2001 Census data

Health category
DCC Dorset
Christchurch
% with long-term illness/disability
19.2
19.0
Health: % good
68.1
68.2
Health: % not good
8.4
9.0
% providing unpaid care
10.8
10.1

Poverty Indicators Housing/Council Tax benefit 2009

Benefit Population DCC DorsetChristchurch
as a % of total town population13.615.9

Socio-economic classifications, 2010 ACORN

ClassificationDCC DorsetChristchurch
% Wealthy Achievers40.131.8
% Urban Prosperity7.11.5
% Comfortably Off33.248.0
% Moderate Means9.28.2
% Hard Pressed10.210.4
% unclassified0.20.2

ACORN is a geodemographic segmentation of the UK's population which segments small neighbourhoods, postcodes, or consumer households into five categories, 17 groups and 56 types.
The five higher level categories, wealthy achievers, urban prosperity, comfortably off, moderate means and hard pressed are shown above.

An ACORN profile of the town is available covering all the wards.  You can access the  Christchurch ACORN Profile (pdf, 1Mb) (opens in a new window)  for this information.

Source: ACORN 2010

Retail profile - Total Town Centre Floorspace

159shops/180,000 sq.ft. (2005)

Town centre:

The town centre has some local shops, but includes Nationals such as Argos, Boots, Burtons, Co-op, Dorothy Perkins, Iceland, New Look, Waitrose, and WH Smiths.

Catchment population

The shopping catchment for Christchurch (major food shopping) extends around the town centre, and also across towards Lymington. The population within the Dorset part of the catchment is around 40,300 (Mid 2001)

Library - Number of issues of books etc

Library2007-082008-092009-102010-11
Christchurch248,587239,634234,013212,744
Highcliffe102,095101,65896,48288,847

Industrial estates

Airfield Way Industrial Estate (14.4h), Aviation Park,Bournemouth Airport (over 100h), Fairmile/Avon Trading Park(3.0h), Groveley Road (1.36h), Priory Park (2.5h), Sea Vixen Trading Estate (0.59h), Somerford Road (13.1h), Stony Lane (3.2h), Silver Business Park (0.8h), Hughes Business park (0.4h)

Unemployment % (persons)

Proportion of resident population aged 16-64 and actual number

Year
Male
Female
Total
July 1997
4.2 (428)
1.6 (134)
3.1 (562)
July 1998
3.1 ( 316)
1.2 (101)
2.3 (417)
July 1999
3.1 (314)
0.9 (79)
2.1 (393)
July 2000
2.4 (247)
0.8 (69)
1.6 (316)
July 2001
1.8 (186)
0.7 (64)
1.3 (250)
July 2002
1.8 (202)
0.7 (68)
1.3 (270)
July 2003
1.5 (182)
0.7 (65)
1.1 (210)
July 2004
1.3 (117)
0.5 (41)
0.9 (158)
July 2005
1.6 (145)
0.7 (59)
1.1 (204)
July 2006
1.7 (156)
0.5 (45)
1.1 (201)
July 20071.3 (116)0.6 (56)1.0 (172)
July 20081.4 (126)0.7 (60)1.0 (186)
July 20094.0 (375)1.5 (128)2.8 (503)
July 20102.8 (263)1.3 (124)2.0 (387)
July 20112.6 (255)1.1 (109)1.8 (364)

Of July 2009 unemployment figures, the long-term unemployed = 3.6%
Of July 2010 unemployment figures, the long-term unemployed = 15.5%
Of July 2011 unemployment figures, the long-term unemployed = 8.8%

Source: ONS. Rates from 2011 onwards are calculated using the mid-2010 resident population aged 16-64

The wider economy of the area

To see an economic profile of the wider Christchurch area follow this link to the  Christchurch Economy & Labour Market Profile 2011 (pdf, 1019kb) (opens in a new window) .

2010 Employment

Total number of people working in the town: 14,300

Work pattern/Gender categorypercentage
Full-time
67%
Part-time
33%

Source: Business Register and Employment Survey, 2010, ONS

Type of employment
%
Production and construction
19
Distribution, accommodation and food38
Other market services15
Public administration, education and health22
Other services
6

Source: Business Register and Employment Survey, 2010, ONS

Figures may not sum due to rounding. All these figures exclude farm agriculture which has been suppressed

Major employers

BAE Systems, Beagle Technology Group, Bournemouth Aviation Consultants Ltd, Bournemouth Airport Ltd, Channel Express, Christchurch Borough Council, Christchurch Hospital, College of Air Traffic Control, Data Track Process Instruments, Dorset County Council, European Aviation, FR Aviation Ltd, John Reid & Sons, Mostyns Ltd, Honeywell Aerospace, Penny and Giles, Revvo Castor Co, Sainsbury's, Siemans VAI, Stewarts Garden Lands, Selex Communications.

Traffic counts in the wider Christchurch area - Annual average daily traffic

ROADLOCATIONAADF (Annual Average Daily Traffic)Percentage Growth Since
No.1983199020002005200820092010200920082005200019901983
1 Year2 year5 Years10 Years20 Years27 Years
A31(T)County boundary45,10062,20085,00093,80093,50094,80092,200-3%n/an/an/an/an/a
C137Avon causewayn/an/an/a8,0007,6007,6007,9004%4%-1%n/an/an/a
B3059Bridge street10,70012,90012,7009,2008,8008,4008,9006%1%-3%-30%-31%-17%
B3059Stour road (Tuckton bridge)15,40026,50022,00023,00021,00022,10022,2000%6%-3%1%-16%44%
A35Barrack Road, Iford24,50032,90032,50030,50030,40030,10028,000-7%-8%-8%-14%-15%14%
A35Christchurch by pass (West)34,50044,00043,60046,20047,10048,00047,8000%1%3%10%9%39%
B3073Hurn road - Blackwater10,80018,30020,60022,50022,30022,30022,5001%1%0%9%23%108%
A35Christchurch by pass (East)n/an/an/a32,10032,40031,90031,700-1%-2%-1%n/an/an/a
A337Highcliffe12,60016,40017,10017,10016,50015,50016,3005%-1%-5%-5%-1%29%
A35Somerford12,90018,50019,20020,40019,70020,40019,900-2%1%-2%4%8%54%
B3347Winkton6,3009,0009,70010,20010,2009,9009,800-1%-4%-4%1%9%56%

Source: Dorset County Council Environment Directorate

Local authorities

Dorset County Council
County Hall, Colliton Park, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 1XJ
01305 221000

Christchurch Borough Council
Civic Offices, Bridge Street, Christchurch
Dorset BH23 1AZ 01202 495000

Localise content

  • Help

Related downloads

© County Council

Powered by GOSS iCM
Feedback Form
Leads to Insight