beta This is a new service – your feedback will help us to improve it.

Exciting improvements ahead for Victoria Road

Posted on:
Victoria Road, Ferndown copyright Google
Victoria Road, Ferndown showing planters and trees. Copyright Google.

Dorset Council is due to begin work on 20 January to remove deteriorating planters, trees and benches on Victoria Road, Ferndown, to make way for a new, sustainable planting scheme and functional seating, later in the year.  

This project came about thanks to the work of Cllr Cathy Lugg and Cllr Mike Parkes, both ward members for Ferndown. Their initial conversations, which outlined what they wanted to see improved, led to Litter Free Dorset carrying out an engagement exercise where people indicated that they liked the ideas of benches and planters.

Following positive discussions with Ferndown Town Council and teams within Dorset Council, there is now a window of opportunity to start making those improvements a reality as the current benches and planters have deteriorated and are beyond repair. Sadly, the trees contained within the planters are also in decline, with many unlikely to survive. 

This marks the start of an exciting new phase for Victoria Road. With Dorset Council’s support, Ferndown Town Council has committed to carrying out the improvements and install new functional seating and planting. Protecting biodiversity will be a key focus of the new scheme, incorporating mature, specially selected trees and sustainable landscaping to ensure the area remains vibrant, welcoming, and environmentally conscious. 

Cllr Terry Cordery, Mayor of Ferndown Town Council, said:  “This is a wonderful opportunity for Victoria Road to be refreshed and for the people of Ferndown to have access to a more flexible environment which will bring benefits for many years to come.”

Ferndown Town Council will work closely with local businesses and experts to design a flexible, future-ready town centre. This initiative aims to reinvigorate the heart of Ferndown, enhancing it for residents, visitors, and businesses alike. 

Cllr Nick Ireland, Leader of Dorset Council, said: “I’m really pleased that this work is starting so early in the new year. The removal of the old, unsightly, and unsafe planters and the decaying trees will make way for a carefully designed landscaping scheme, which, incorporating new seating, will make any visit to Victoria Road a more pleasant experience for people and nature.”  

Comments

3 Comments

Comment by posted

 whilst I understand the need for improvement- removing trees is not the best way forward. Climate change - we are being told will only worsen and the most natural way in dealing with this is to increase the trees not to reduce the road to a treeless concrete state. Even with planters for pollinators will not be for bio diversity. I live in Victoria Road and look onto two of the trees, have you ever stopped and watched the number of birds that use them. They are deciduous trees of course look dead in the wnter but come spring and summer provide a lovely camouflage for the residents who put up with some quite unsavory going ons, out on the street. I personally view the trees of something of a beauty and to treasure. I for one will miss them hughly. Please consider trees in Victoria Road as a must. Thank you for allowing the space to air how I feel.    

Comment by posted

Thanks for your comment, Vanessa. I have passed your comments to senior officers and the ward councillors for their consideration when looking at the future planting and landscaping scheme. Thank you for getting in touch, we appreciate your views and will ensure they are fed back to the team. All the best, Kirstie

Comment by posted
Following the first stage of the Victoria Road Improvements, I am somewhat disappointed with the work so far.  Whilst I understand that wooden planters were deteriorating, it would have been more cost effective to remove them and replace with alternative planters/plants straight away.  You mention in your newsletter about biodiversity but in one foul swoop have destroyed a whole bio-dome for pollanting insects who fed off the flowers in the planters or the trees and birds who perched in the trees and fed off said insects before other food sources became available.  None of the bulbs in the said planters were retrieved to my knowledge to be recycled by the contracted workpeople.  Now we are left with a concrete landscape which is uneven where the trees/planters were removed hence creating a trip hazard for the population of the town.  There is also more cars or vehicles regularly parking on the pavement where the planters have been removed which causes difficulty exiting Library/Albert Road safely or for residents to be able to walk safely on the pavements when trying to get past these vehicles particarly near the Post Office.    I understand from the initial plans that some extra parking was going to be created in Victoria Road but please bear in mind that visibility exiting Princes and Library/Albert Road needs to be taken into account as vehicles tend to speed up after this junction.  Introducing some mature trees with perhaps a bench/seating surrounding them is a good idea together with new planters, however, please take into account that trees have roots which in turn can make surrounding hard landscaping uneven as they grow as per the mature trees in centre of Penny's Walk for example. Hopefully some forthcoming surveys between residents, local businesses and the councillors will help create the blueprint of an attractive place for people to visit and spend time outdoors in the town.

Search news