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Environment Directorate

Environment addresses the challenges of sustainable development in Dorset and is responsible for strategic planning, transport, economic and waste management.

The Director for the Environment Directorate is Miles Butler.

The department is responsible for 2,475 miles of road and hundreds of acres of countryside for recreation and conservation purposes.

Dorset Property

The Property Management Division is an advisory and consultancy service of the county council. It supports all services in the delivery of their objectives through the delivery of timely, cost effective, professional advice and management on all matters related to property and real estate assets.

In doing this, we provide advice on all property matters, from first thoughts, through inception, options appraisal, feasibility, design, investment & development, construction, maintenance, management, refurbishment and demolition or disposal. It includes assessment of need, consideration and evaluation of options, acquisitions, analysis and review of utilisation and recommendations for use, re-use and or disposal.

We also manage the county farms estate, within a strategy designed to:

  • provide opportunities for people to farm on their own account

  • rationalise the estate to ensure its sustainability and invest in the core farms

  • generate capital receipts for the County Council to re-invest

  • maintain (and improve) the revenue generated from the estate

Our vision is to ensure that Dorset County Council has the real estate assets that it needs, now and in the future.

For further information please see contact details below 

Business Support

Business Support provides support services to the directorate and its customers including dealing with customer queries, financial, secretarial and administrative services, communication, IT and design, Gypsy and Traveller liaison, management information and personnel recruitment and payroll.

Dorset Highways

Dorset County Council is the highway authority for Dorset, not including Bournemouth and Poole.

Dorset Highways, the county council's highways and transportation service, is responsible for maintaining roads and pavements except the A31 and A35 trunk roads, which are managed by the Highways Agency (opens in a new window) .

We also:

  • manage traffic and work to reduce accidents on our roads through physical improvements and road safety education

  • support public transport services and promote sustainable types of travel, such as cycling and walking

  • develop a five-year Local Transport Plan in partnership with Bournemouth Borough Council and the Borough of Poole to attract Government funding for transport in Dorset

In addition, Dorset Highways provides a diverse range of services for customers, including vehicle maintenance, grounds maintenance and sign manufacturing.

We are based between County Hall in Dorchester, our main depot in Charminster and at local depots around the county.

Planning

Dorset County Council is responsible for strategic planning issues, balancing development needs with our aim to protect Dorset's beautiful and historic environment. This means it takes an overview of land use and prepares a blueprint, known as the Structure Plan. The district and borough councils then prepare local plans for their areas using this.

The county council planning service also manages waste disposal and recycling contracts.

The planning section has a broad range of environmental specialists covering the historic environment (archaeology and historic buildings), ecology, coast and countryside, landscape and sustainability, waste and minerals.

The Countryside Service runs local facilities such as  Durlston (opens in a new window) and Avon Heath country parks and cares for and maintain 4,800 km (3000 miles) of rights of way.

Policy

This area deals with developing strategies and policies to guide the council's activities in land use planning, transportation, the economy, tourism, the environment and Europe. They also carry out research and information services for the council and the public, including population statistics and forecasting; economic and tourism information; and data on development and the environment.

They provide information on our work to promote business and the economy in Dorset.

Valuation and Estates

Valuation and Estates, based in Dorchester, looks after property and land that belongs to or is leased by the county council. This includes buying, managing and selling council land or property as well as managing 92 county farms.

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