News

The Borough of Poole has instructed specialist consultants to look at the town's retail and leisure sectors. The Poole Retail and Leisure Capacity Study 2005 will look at current spending patterns in the town in relation to retail and leisure uses. The information gathered will then be used to predict likely requirements for new food and non-food shopping floor space up to the year 2016.

The Council is required to do this work every five years. The results will feed into 'Planning Poole' and help the town to answer key questions, including:

• What are existing shopping habits in the town and how will these change? \n

• Can Poole provide a better 'leisure offer' and are there any leisure uses that the town could expect to attract? \n

• Do we need to reserve more land for retail and leisure uses and where should these sites be? \n

• Should Poole Town Centre compete with Bournemouth, offer a different mix of leisure uses, or stay as it is? \n

In order to make sure the study findings are accurate, 1,000 households within Poole and the surrounding area will be contacted by telephone to find out where they shop most regularly and what might make them shop more regularly in Poole. This survey has just started and will continue to 4^th May. In addition 500 in-street interviews will also be taking place at various locations in Poole town centre between now and May 4.

Bill Richardson, Senior Planning Officer, Strategic Planning Services, Borough of Poole, said: "The survey is very important to help us improve Poole's town centre and other local / neighbourhood destinations for shopping and leisure. Interviewers in-street will wear appropriate ID badges and telephone interviewers will state that they are working on behalf of the Council. Please rest assured this is an endorsed survey by the Council."

The Council would appreciate residents' and visitors' support in this survey. However if anyone wishes to discuss the matter further they can contact Bill Richardson at Strategic Planning Services on tel 01202 633298.