The settlement pattern of South East Dorset originated in a number of small historic towns and family villages. Bournemouth began to grow in the latter part of the 19^th Century, initially to cater for the growing demand for holidays but subsequently as a retirement resort.

Since 1945, Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch have grown substantially into major tourist and employment centres, with the service sector (including distribution) now providing 64% of total employment. The three towns have merged and encompassed outlying areas, resulting in an urban pattern characterised by low density, detached and semi-detached housing.

Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch together with the smaller towns and suburban areas have a population of 420,000. This represents a population growth of 13.5% in the last ten years.

Click for Population Density Map 4.1. (This will open in a new window.)

The trend for strong population growth in the area is expected to continue, with a projected increase of about 11% in Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch between 1998 and 2011. In the remainder of Dorset the equivalent projected growth is about 9%, one of the fastest growth rates among shire counties in England. The majority of this growth will undoubtedly put additional pressure on the transport network of South East Dorset, since it remains a major shopping, leisure and employment centre for the rest of Dorset.

The sections of the population projected to increase most significantly are those of later working age, and those over eighty years of age. This will have implications for the provision of services for the elderly and the whole issue of travel to work. Many of the elderly residents have mobility difficulties and indeed many have a reluctance to use modes of transport other than the car. Previous development has resulted in a low-density pattern of population. This has made the provision of good quality public transport difficult and with high car ownership levels has led to the car being the dominant form of transport. This is further compounded by the conurbation having a number of shopping and employment centers rather than one dominant centre, leading to dispersed journey patterns. Public Transport accounts for less than 10% of journeys.

Opportunities include: