Verwood
Verwood is a rapidly expanding town situated in the north-east of the county, with a current population of over 14,000. Situated amid heathlands, it was originally known as Fayrewood. Historically, one key industry in the area was the famous Verwood Potteries, but much of the current local employment is based around the modern Ebblake Industrial Estate.
Communications
Verwood is located on the B3081, around 4 miles north of the A31 Trunk Road. There are no rail links in the area.
Education
Wimborne pyramid area:
14 first schools, 1 primary school, 4 middle schools, 1 secondary school, 1 special school.
The secondary school is Queen Elizabeth's School (1,479 pupils-2011).
For further information on
Queen Elizabeth's School (opens in a new window) 
Commercial land
Between 1994-10, 3.8 hectares of land has been developed in Verwood. The total area of land with permission or allocated in local plans is 3.0 hectares.
Crime
Domestic burglaries
Rate per 1,000 households
| Area | 2002/03 | 2003/04 | 2004/05 | 2005/06 | 2006/07 | 2007/08 | 2008/2009 | 2009/10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Verwood | 4.4 | 2.3 | 6.5 | 2.5 | 2.1 | n/a | 1.6 | 2.3 |
DCC Dorset | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.5 | 5.7 | 4.4 | n/a | 4.1 | 3.8 |
South West | 14.8 | 12.3 | 10.7 | 8.9 | 8.4 | n/a | 8.2 | 7.6 |
England and Wales | 20.0 | 18.6 (GB) | 14.4 | 13.5 | 13.1 | n/a | 12.2 | 11.6 |
Note: Due to small numbers burglary rates for small geographical areas (e.g. towns) can vary significantly from year to year.
Source: Dorset County Council
Other sources of crime data
Access the
Police crime mapping Verwood (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 (Verwood Parish) is 14,930
| Year | 1921 | 1931 | 1951 | 1961 | 1971 | 1981 | 1991 | 2001 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Census population (enumerated) | 1,220 | 1,610 | 2,130 | 2,820 | 3,510 | 6,110 | 10,210 | 13,530 |
Housing growth
| Year | 98 | 99 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Housing development | 205 | 229 | 162 | 145 | 145 | 97 | 149 | 23 | 6 | 7 | 68 | 7 | -1 |
The 2001 Census records 5,705 dwellings in Verwood
Since 2001, a further 501 have been built giving a total of 6,206.
At March 2010, a further 62 units have permission and 30 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 LSOA ranking out of 247 LSOAs in Dorset with 1 being the most deprived)
LSOA | Multiple | Income | Employment | Health | Education & skills | Housing & Services | Crime | Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three Legged Cross | 104 | 27 | 49 | 146 | 45 | 244 | 172 | 226 |
Verwood Chiltern | 191 | 124 | 232 | 228 | 56 | 156 | 92 | 214 |
Verwood Dewlands | 240 | 223 | 241 | 241 | 228 | 143 | 243 | 243 |
Verwood Ebblake | 215 | 231 | 235 | 231 | 161 | 63 | 241 | 246 |
Verwood Emmanuel | 244 | 217 | 233 | 247 | 211 | 240 | 212 | 242 |
Verwood Newton | 213 | 168 | 242 | 239 | 160 | 95 | 97 | 225 |
Verwood Noon Hill | 227 | 234 | 202 | 200 | 212 | 119 | 211 | 245 |
Verwood Potterne & Woolsbridge | 45 | 18 | 99 | 127 | 19 | 61 | 66 | 177 |
Verwood Stephen's Castle | 226 | 204 | 204 | 209 | 198 | 182 | 124 | 241 |
Verwood Town Centre | 239 | 189 | 231 | 243 | 162 | 238 | 173 | 232 |
Note: January 2011 - this table was amended following the identification of a tabulation error.
Index of Deprivation, 2010
| LSOA | Multiple | Income | Employment | health | Education & Skills | housing & services | crime | Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three Legged Cross | 99 | 43 | 48 | 170 | 45 | 243 | 89 | 228 |
| Verwood Chiltern | 207 | 164 | 217 | 237 | 63 | 121 | 226 | 223 |
| Verwood Dewlands | 239 | 228 | 232 | 247 | 207 | 117 | 246 | 243 |
| Verwood Ebblake | 213 | 232 | 238 | 236 | 151 | 48 | 242 | 247 |
| Verwood Emmanuel | 246 | 231 | 240 | 243 | 216 | 207 | 204 | 242 |
| Verwood Newtown | 218 | 224 | 242 | 242 | 103 | 77 | 178 | 230 |
| Verwood Noon Hill | 211 | 198 | 139 | 225 | 219 | 81 | 211 | 245 |
| Verwood Potterne & Woolsbridge | 37 | 22 | 59 | 164 | 20 | 52 | 44 | 184 |
| Verwood Stephen's Castle | 228 | 160 | 218 | 234 | 196 | 122 | 216 | 241 |
| Verwood Town Centre | 232 | 210 | 214 | 244 | 154 | 165 | 173 | 236 |
LSOA = Lower Super Output Area (minimum 400 households or 1,000 population). Note: The health column in this table includes updated figures from those published in the 2008 Dorset Databook. Click here for detailed information and mapping of the The Index of Deprivation, 2010
Source:DCLG
Average house prices
| Dwelling type | Average Price July - Sept 2009 | Average Price July - Sept 2010 | July - Sept 2010 (sales) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached | £285,565 | £302,577 | 54 |
| Semi-detached | £151,333 | £207,139 | 14 |
| Terraced | £163,625 | £179,625 | 4 |
| Flats/maisonettes | £146,500 | n/a | 0 |
Land Registry average prices (Prices may be affected by low number of sales), Data based on postcode sectors BH31 6 and BH31 7.
Area
Approx 'built-up' area = 440 hectares (1,090 acres)
Local authority revenue
| Council tax band D for Year | Council tax payable |
|---|---|
| 11/12 | £1,642.20 |
10/11 | £1,641.58 |
09/10 | £1,592.17 |
08/09 | £1,533.77 |
07/08 | £1,464.48 |
06/07 | £1,390.31 |
05/06 | £1,323.67 |
04/05 | £1,272.30 |
03/04 | £1,195.74 |
02/03 | £1,042.11 |
01/02 | £943.02 |
00/01 | £876.12 |
99/00 | £843.17 |
Second/holiday and vacant homes, 2011
| Total dwellings on Council Tax Register | 6,254 |
|---|---|
| Total number of second homes | 40 |
Second homes as a % of total dwellings | 0.62 |
| Total number of long term empty properties | 15 |
Empty homes as a % of total dwellings | 0.22 |
Source: Council Tax Register (parish figure, rounded)
Population 2010: Mid-Year Estimates, ONS
| Gender breakdown | Dorset | Verwood |
|---|---|---|
Resident Population | 404,790 | 14,930 |
Males | 196,420 | 7,150 |
Females | 208,370 | 7,780 |
Age Structure (%): 2010 Mid Year Estimates, ONS
| Age range | Dorset | Verwood |
|---|---|---|
0-15 | 17.0 | 20.1 |
16+17 | 2.7 | 2.4 |
18-44 | 25.4 | 26.8 |
45-59 | 20.9 | 20.0 |
60-84 | 30.0 | 27.1 |
85+ | 3.9 | 3.6 |
Ethnicity (%): 2001 Census
| Ethnicity | Dorset | Verwood |
|---|---|---|
White British | 96.8 | 97.4 |
Non-white | 3.2 | 2.6 |
Health - 2001 Census data
| Health category | Dorset | Verwood |
|---|---|---|
% with Long-term Illness / Disability | 19.2 | 16.1 |
Health: % Good | 68.1 | 71.4 |
Health: % Not Good | 8.4 | 7.1 |
% Providing Unpaid Care | 10.8 | 9.3 |
Poverty Indicators: Housing/Council Tax Benefit, 2009
| Benefit population | Dorset | Verwood |
|---|---|---|
| as a % of total town population | 13.6 | 10.4 |
Socio-economic classifications, 2010 ACORN
| Classifications | Dorset | Verwood |
|---|---|---|
| % Wealthy Achievers | 40.1 | 63.5 |
| % Urban Prosperity | 7.1 | 1.2 |
| % Comfortably Off | 33.2 | 22.8 |
| % Moderate Means | 9.2 | 5.4 |
| % Hard Pressed | 10.2 | 6.5 |
| % unclassified | 0.2 | 0.7 |
ACORN is a geodemographic segmentation of the UK's population which segments small neighbourhoods, postcodes, or consumer households into 5 categories, 17 groups and 56 types.
The 5 higher level categories "wealthy achievers", "urban prosperity", "comfortably off", "moderate means" and "hard pressed" are shown above.
A full ACORN profile of the town has been produced with maps of the 4 wards. Access the
Verwood ACORN Profile (pdf, 1Mb) (opens in a new window) here.
Retail profile - total town floorspace
35 shops/44,458 sq.ft. (2005)
Town centre:
Mainly local shops but also Morrisons
Catchment population:
The shopping catchment for Verwood (major food shopping) extends around 5 miles in a NW direction, but only a short distance towards Ferndown. The Population within the catchment is around 15,100 (mid 2001)
Library - Number of issues of books etc
| Library | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verwood | 91,528 | 85,977 | 81,370 | 77,168 |
Industrial estates
Ebblake Industrial Estate (17.5h)
Unemployment % (persons)
| Year | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
July 1997 | 2.8(76) | 2.1 (43) | 2.5 (119) |
July 1998 | 2.3 (63) | 1.5 (31) | 2.0 (94) |
July 1999 | 1.9 (51) | 1.2 (25) | 1.6 (76) |
July 2000 | 2.0 (59) | 1.3 (29) | 1.7 (88) |
July 2001 | 1.3 (40) | 1.1 (26) | 1.2 (66) |
July 2002 | 1.6 (55) | 0.8 (22) | 1.3 (77) |
July 2003 | 1.1 (41) | 0.9 (25) | 1.0 (66) |
July 2004 | 0.8 (32) | 0.4 (17) | 0.6 (49) |
July 2005 | 0.9 (36) | 0.4 (17) | 0.7 (53) |
July 2006 | 1.1 (43) | 0.7 (30) | 0.9 (73) |
| July 2007 | 1.0 (36) | 0.4 (16) | 0.6 (52) |
| July 2008 | 1.0 (41) | 0.4(19) | 0.7 (60) |
| July 2009 | 3.0 (120) | 1.4 (60) | 2.1 (180) |
| July 2010 | 2.0 (82) | 1.0 (45) | 1.5 (127) |
Of July 2009 unemployment figures, the long-term unemployed = 3.9%
Of July 2010 unemployment figures, the long-term unemployed = 11.8%
2009 employment
Total number of people working in the town: 4,700
Number of firms (excluding the self employed): 540
| Work pattern | percentage |
|---|---|
Full-time | 72% |
Part-time | 28% |
Type of employment | % |
|---|---|
Manufacturing and other non service | 23 |
Construction | 10 |
| Accommodation & Food Service activities | 3 |
| Other Services | 3 |
| Distribution including motor | 28 |
Finance and business services | 22 |
Public administration, Ed and Health | 11 |
Source: Business Register and Employment Survey, 2009 ONS
Major Employees
Dorset County Council, Key Ltd, Morrisons, Quality Assured Plastics, Wessex Garage Doors Ltd.
Traffic counts in the wider Verwood area
| Road | Location | AADF (Annual Average Daily Traffic) | Percentage Growth Since | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | 1983 | 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2005 | 2000 | 1990 | 1983 | |
| 1 Year | 2 year | 5 Years | 10 Years | 20 Years | 27 Years | |||||||||
| B3072 | South of Three Legged Cross | 5,500 | 7,900 | 8,300 | 10,200 | 9,300 | 9,400 | 9,400 | 0% | 1% | -8% | 13% | 19% | 71% |
| C2 | East of Three Legged Cross | 4,900 | 7,000 | 8,100 | 8,700 | 8,900 | 9,100 | 9,400 | 3% | 6% | 8% | 16% | 34% | 92% |
| B3081 | East of Verwood | 6,100 | 7,700 | 10,300 | 11,100 | 11,300 | 11,600 | 11,500 | -1% | 2% | 4% | 12% | 49% | 89% |
| A31(T) | County Boundary | 45,100 | 62,200 | 85,000 | 93,800 | 93,500 | 94,800 | 92,200 | -3% | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| B3081 | Station Road - West of Verwood | n/a | n/a | n/a | 5,800 | 6,000 | 5,900 | 5,800 | -2% | -3% | 0% | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| C104 | Edmondsham Road - Verwood | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1,700 | 1,700 | 1,700 | 1,700 | 0% | 0% | 0% | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| B3072 | Verwood Road - South of Verwood | n/a | n/a | n/a | 8,700 | 8,600 | 8,600 | 8,500 | -1% | -1% | -2% | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| B3081 | Ringwood Road - Verwood | n/a | n/a | n/a | 9,000 | 8,500 | 8,500 | 8,400 | -1% | -1% | -7% | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| B3081 | Ringwood Road - Verwood(Ebblake) | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 13,000 | 12,600 | 12,200 | -3% | -6% | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Source: Dorset County Council Environment Directorate June 2011
Local Authorities
Dorset County Council
County Hall, Colliton Park, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 1XJ
01305 221000
East Dorset Council
Furzehill, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 4HN
01202 886201
Town Council
Mrs V Bright, Verwood Town Council,
Council Offices
28 Vicarage Road, Verwood
Dorset BH31 6DW
01202 820880
