ACCESS to the countryside and coast is the main reason shoppers in Dorchester love where they live, a survey has revealed.

Members of the Dorchester Stop the Drop anti-litter campaign group have been out asking shoppers in Dorchester what they like and dislike about their local area.

They received a total of 234 positive responses and 134 negative responses.

The principle cause of negative comments was West Dorset District Council’s new offices being built at Charles Street in Dorchester.

Of the positive responses 24 were from people who said they enjoyed living within easy reach of the countryside and the coast, while 18 per cent said they liked the experience of shopping locally.

Sixteen per cent said they found the area peaceful, quiet and safe.

Other positive comments included Dorchester being a family friendly town with good schools, a fascinating history and a vibrant atmosphere, while nine per cent of people surveyed saying they loved everything about the town.

West Dorset District Council’s planning activities, in particular the Charles Street development, was a negative for 28 per cent of people and 19 per cent objected to litter found on the streets.

Six per cent told the surveyors that they felt there was insufficient affordable housing and five per cent saw a lack of parking as a major problem.

Infrequent bus services, empty shops and crowds were the source of other complaints as well as there being no job centre in Dorchester, development at Poundbury, a lack of things for young people to do, noisy neighbours and poor maintenance of shop fronts.

Survey organiser Bob Kerr said: “While the positives were comforting, the negatives sound a wake-up call to both the district council and the police.”

He added: “Certainly the major objection of the Charles Street development will continue its stormy path to completion regardless of residents’ views.

“As for litter, legislation is on the statute books that, if enacted, would go a long way to combating this. Yet until the police enforce such laws and the courts create examples of law-breakers, there is little hope that this issue will ever be resolved, leaving the problem with those who live here.”

investment

WEST DORSET District Council’s leader has responded after the Charles Street development was the source of most of the negative comments in the suvery.

Robert Gould, pictured below, said: “Charles Street is a major development being built in Dorchester that will bring huge improvements and £60 million of private investment to the town.

“Phase one will site smaller, greener, cheaper offices for West Dorset District Council as well as a library and adult learning centre paid for and run separately by the county council.

“Phase two will provide over 20 new shops, a new larger Waitrose, an underground public car park with 485 spaces, a hotel, affordable homes which is a major priority of the council, new public toilets and 660 new private sector jobs.”