SEVEN years of no progress on a regeneration plan for Ferndown is likely to continue – with no budget available from Dorset Council.

Ward councillor Hannah Hobbs-Chell says that since the regeneration plan was signed off in January 2017 there has been promises of delivery, social media posts and news reports…. but no progress.

She told Dorset councillors at their July meeting: “The plan of 2017 is now outdated and not fit for purpose, and arguably became so six months after formal adoption due to a large part of the land being sold to Torbay council in August 2017.

“Can the council confirm what funding, if any, was/is in place to bring this forward, and to work with the town council to develop a new action plan taking in to account the revised needs of the town and the residents? “

Portfolio holder for economic growth, Dorchester councillor Richard Biggs, said the council had written to Ferndown Town Council pledging to continue to work with it on plans for the regeneration of the town centre –  but admitted there was no budget.

“The leader (Cllr Nick Ireland) made a commitment to continue to work with the Town Council on plans for regeneration of the town centre.  He made clear in his letter that no substantive work is currently being undertaken by Dorset Council officers on regeneration plans for Ferndown town centre and that there are currently no budget allocations for this work, nor were any budget allocations made for this purpose by the previous administration of Dorset Council.  The leader also acknowledged that the 2017 plan is out of date and needs to be reviewed in order to provide a basis for any future regeneration plans for Ferndown town centre.”

In a a response to a separate question Cllr Hobbs-Chell was told that there is no provision to compensate businesses for the Transforming Cities Fund work in the town to provide safe routes for cycling and walking.

Said Cllr Biggs: “It is not normal practice for local authorities to compensate businesses that claim they are affected by temporary highway and transport works.  We can certainly consider how to best to help sustain local businesses in the continuing work that the leader has made a commitment to with Ferndown Town Council.”