The study provides the following:

• an assessment of the future needs for additional retail facilities within the four local authority areas up to 2026
• an analysis of the role, function and network of existing centres within the four local authority areas
• an assessment of the capacity of each district to accommodate growth, and the identification of potential development sites
• a policy review and proposed issues and options for the Local Development Framework (LDF)

The study includes an assessment of the main town and district centres within the four local authority areas, namely Christchurch, Highcliffe, Ferndown, Verwood, West Moors, Wimborne Minster, Blandford Forum, Gillingham, Shaftesbury, Sturminster Newton, Stalbridge, Swanage, Upton and Wareham.

The study is available to download on the right hand side of this page and is split into two volumes.  Volume 1 includes the macro analysis covering all four authority areas and volume 2 is split into four with separate sections for each of the partner authorities.

Christchurch, East Dorset, North Dorset and Purbeck councils commissioned the joint town centre and retail study from consultants Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners (NLP).

• Community & Planning Policy Manager
  Name: Simon Trueick
  Email: strueick@christchurchandeastdorset.gov.uk
  Tel: 01202 495038
  Fax: 01202 495108
  Full details for Simon Trueick
• Name: Policy Planning (East Dorset)
  Email: policy.planning@eastdorset.gov.uk
  Tel: 01202 886201
  Full details for Policy Planning (East Dorset)
• Name: Planning Policy (North Dorset)
  Email: planningpolicy@north-dorset.gov.uk
  Tel: 01258 484201
  Full details for Planning Policy (North Dorset)
• Name: Planning Policy Team
  Email: ldf@purbeck-dc.gov.uk
  Tel: 01929 557359
  Fax: 01929 557348
  Full details for Planning Policy Team