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Canford Heath
View across the modern settlement of Canford Heath
Canford HeathLocation within Dorset
Population	14,387 (ward, 2021)
OS grid reference	SZ027946
Unitary authority	Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Ceremonial county	Dorset
Region	South West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	POOLE
Postcode district	BH17
Dialling code	01202
Police	Dorset
Fire	Dorset and Wiltshire
Ambulance	South Western
UK Parliament	Mid Dorset and North Poole
List of places UK England Dorset 50°45′05″N 1°57′43″W / 50.75125°N 1.96194°W / 50.75125; -1.96194

Canford Heath is a suburb, an area of heathland, and an electoral ward in Poole, Dorset. It is known for being the largest heathland in Dorset, and the largest lowland heath in the UK. It is also the name of the housing development built on the heathland in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. At the 2021 census the population of the ward was 14,387.

History

Historically, Canford Heath was part of the Canford Estate; in the Domesday Book, the manor of Cheneford was held by Edward of Salisbury. Canford Heath was common land. In 1810, it was subdivided among Poole's Proprietors, in response to the 1805 Enclosure Act, which "enabled the enclosure of over 9000 acres of ‘Common Meadows, Heaths, Waste Lands and Commonable Grounds’".

In the early 20th century, Canford Heath had many different uses. In 1929, a hillclimb event for the "Motorcycle and Light Car Club" was staged here, and during the Second World War, the heath was used as a munitions storage. In 1938, most of the heath burned in a series of large fires.

In 1944, it was suggested that Canford Heath should be "preserved from business development" after the War, although in 1946, a plan was issued by Professor Abercrombie that suggested the use of Canford Heath as a housing development, in preference to building in the New Forest. In 1947, there was another large heath fire.

Building work began on a housing development in 1963 in South Canford Heath, whilst Parkstone and Poole grammar schools were relocated to the edge of the heath in 1962 and 1968 respectively, and the first combined school opened in Canford Heath in 1970. The first supermarket on the Heath was Waitrose, which opened in June 1970 sharing its car park with the also recently opened Fighter Pilot (now The Pilot) public house and Canford Heath United Reformed Church. Waitrose closed in 1982 to be replaced by Kwik Save. The current supermarket at Adastral Square is Iceland. Housing development began in 1973 in North Canford Heath, and in 1980, International Supermarket and formerly Somerfield (now Asda) became North Canford Heath's first supermarket.

In 1984, planning permission was given for development of all of Canford Heath, providing that the site did not become a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). In response, an application was made in 1985 for much of Canford Heath to become a SSSI, due to the rare habitat and wildlife on the heathland. The application was accepted in 1988, although developers were still permitted to build houses on land not in the SSSI. A report by the Conservation Committee of the British Herpetological Society to the House of Lords in 1988 said that "more than half of Canford, our largest single heath, is being built over with most of its reptiles doomed or already lost", and a 1988 New Scientist article claimed that the SSSI boundary had been drawn around planning permission on the heath granted by Bournemouth Council, and that houses could be built as little as 50 metres away from the SSSI, endangering rare reptiles. In 1991, then Secretary of State Michael Heseltine revoked planning consent for development on all of Canford Heath. In 2008, planning permission was given to develop homes on a former landfill site not in the SSSI, but plans were later abandoned. The former landfill site is now being restored to heathland.

In 2006, a heath fire started by arsonists caused around 100 people to be evacuated from their homes, and required around 170 firefighters to put out. Around 34–45 hectares of heathland burned.

In 2015, another fire spread over 2 ha of heathland, and required 70 firefighters; the damage caused could take 15–25 years for the heath to return to its former state.

On 23 April 2022, a large fire broke out on the heath, close to Mannings Heath roundabout. Twenty homes were evacuated, and an area of roughly 16.7 hectares was burnt. Dozens of animals were reported killed, and Dorset Wildlife Trust said that it would take 15 years for the heath to be restored. On 25 April, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service investigators said that the fire was started deliberately. On 14 May yet another fire broke out on the heath. On 22 May, a third fire broke out. The fire service confirmed that it was once again due to "human intervention".

Heathland

Canford Heath is Dorset's largest heathland, and much of it is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and part of the Dorset Heathlands Special Protection Area. Canford Heath is the largest lowland heath in the United Kingdom, and is home to many rare species, including the smooth snake, sand lizard and Dartford warbler. To maintain the heathland and its wildlife, a 10-year management plan was introduced in 2010. In 2009, an episode of Springwatch was filmed at Canford Heath's Hatchpond.

Geography

Canford Heath has grown its own community life with two public houses (The Haymoor and The Pilot), churches, an ASDA supermarket, five schools and a range of social activities for young people. The Tower Park leisure complex is nearby.

Schools

In September 2013, Poole Council changed its age of transfer, adopting the primary school system in favour of the previous middle school system. As such, all first and middle schools became infant and junior schools. There are two infant schools in Canford Heath (Ad Astra Infant School and Canford Heath Infant School), two junior schools (Haymoor Junior School and Canford Heath Junior School) and two secondary schools (Magna Academy and Poole Grammar School). Poole Grammar School is a selective all-male school. There is also a special educational needs school (Longspee School & Service).

Politics

Canford Heath
ward Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council.
Boundary of Canford Heath in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
Major settlements	Canford Heath
Current ward
Created	2019 (2019)
Councillor	Sandra Moore (Liberal Democrats)
Councillor	Chris Matthews (Liberal Democrats)
Councillor	Clare Weight (Liberal Democrats)
Created from	Canford Heath East Canford Heath West
2003 (2003)–2019 Canford Heath East (2019 Canford Heath East)
Number of councillors	2
2003 (2003)–2019 Canford Heath West (2019 Canford Heath West)
Number of councillors	2
UK Parliament constituency	Mid Dorset and North Poole

For the purposes of national elections, since 1997 Canford Heath has been part of the Mid Dorset and North Poole constituency; previously it was part of the Poole constituency. The current MP is Michael Tomlinson, who won the seat in 2015.

Since 2019, Canford Heath ward has elected 3 councillors to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council.

Canford Heath was formerly part of two wards on Poole Borough Council; Canford Heath East and Canford Heath West.

Councillors

The ward is currently represented by three Liberal Democrat councillors. Due to the death of Pete Parish in 2020, a by-election was held in 2021 (delayed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic), which Sean Gabriel of the Conservative Party won. In the 4th May 2023 local elections, Sean Gabriel lost his seat and Clare Weight of the Liberal Democrats was elected.

Canford Heath East

Canford Heath West

References

1. "Canford Heath Ward (as of 2022), Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Local Authority and England Country 2021 Census Area Profile". nomis. Office for National Statistics.
2. ^ "Ironmaster to wildlife – the Canford Estate". Dorset Life. October 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
3. Wentworth, John (1797). A Complete System of Pleading (Volume 7). G. G. and J. Robinson. p. 124. Retrieved 25 June 2015. canford heath.
4. Gee, Richard (5 February 1810). "Canford Enclosure". Salisbury and Winchester Journal. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
5. "Exciting Motor Trial at Canford Heath". Western Gazette. 26 April 1929. p. 3. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
6. "Theft of Phosphorous Bombs". Western Gazette. 12 October 1945. p. 6. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
7. "Ringed by Heath Fires". Western Gazette. 15 April 1938. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
8. "What Poole Will Be Like". 9 June 1944. p. 6. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
9. "Future of Three Coastal Towns". Western Gazette. 15 February 1946. p. 8. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
10. "Huge Geath Fires". Western Gazette. 5 September 1947. p. 8. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
11. ^ "BBC – Domesday Reloaded: Canford Heath Now And Then". domesday. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
12. Elworthy, Sue; Holder, Jane (April 2005). Environmental Protection: Text and Materials. p. 292. ISBN 9780406037701. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
13. ^ "SSSI Citation" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
14. Moore, N.W. (1987). The Bird of Time: The Science and Politics of Nature Conservation – A Personal Account. CUP Archive. p. 83. Retrieved 25 June 2015. canford heath.
15. Cadoux-Hudson, James; Heywood, Ian (1991). Geographic information: the yearbook of the Association for Geographic Information. ISBN 9780748400287. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
16. Sessional Papers Printed by Order of the House of Lords: Minutes of Proceedings ... Public Bills ... Reports from Committees ... Miscellaneous, Volume 11. 1988. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
17. "A new game of snakes and ladders". New Scientist. 25 August 1988. p. 61. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
18. Miller, Chris (2012). Environmental Rights: Critical Perspectives. ISBN 9781134697861. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
19. "Families can live on toxic tip, says council". Bournemouth Echo.
20. "Dorset walk around Poole's Canford Heath Nature Reserve".
21. "Homes evacuated as heath blazes". BBC News. 19 March 2006. Retrieved 16 September 2007.
22. "Jail for man who planned Canford Heath fire". Bournemouth Echo. 24 September 2009. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
23. "Canford Heath fire: scorched earth reveals devastating effects of blaze". Bournemouth Echo. 18 July 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
24. "Fire destroys part of Canford Heath". BBC News. 17 April 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
25. "70 firefighters tackle 'deliberate' blaze at Canford Heath near Poole". Blackmore Vale Magazine. 17 April 2015. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
26. "Canford Heath could take up to 25 years to recover after 70 firefighters tackle 'deliberate' blaze". Bournemouth Echo. 17 April 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
27. "Dorset heath fire: 'Largest blaze in years' under control". BBC News. 24 April 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
28. "Huge heath fire takes hold at Canford Heath in Poole". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
29. McCrum, Kirstie (25 April 2022). "23 animals perish in Canford Heath fire including rare snakes". dorsetlive. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
30. "'Disaster for wildlife': It could take 15 YEARS for Canford Heath to be restored". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
31. "Canford Heath fire was started deliberately, fire service says". BBC News. 25 April 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
32. "Fire started deliberately in Dorset could be 'devastating' for wildlife". ITV News. 25 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
33. "Another fire breaks out at Canford Heath weeks after huge wildfire". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
34. "Third Canford Heath fire in a month believed to be started by 'human intervention'". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
35. Country Life – Volume 184. 1990. p. 38. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
36. ^ "Managing Dorset's largest heathland 2010–2020". Borough of Poole. July 2011. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
37. "Dorset Heathlands". Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
38. "SSSI: Planning Advice By Natural England". Borough of Poole. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
39. "Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)". Borough of Poole. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
40. ^ Lake, Sophie; Liley, Durwyn; Still, Robert; Swash, Andy (2014). Britain's Habitats: A Guide to the Wildlife Habitats of Britain and Ireland. ISBN 9781400873197. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
41. "The Dartford Warbler in the United Kingdom in 1994" (PDF). British Birds. 1994. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
42. Henderson, Diana (31 December 2009). "Poole's star attractions". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
43. "Schools set for Age of Transfer".
44. Waller, Robert; Criddle, Byron (2002). The Almanac of British Politics. ISBN 9780415378246. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
45. "MID DORSET AND NORTH POOLE". UK Polling Report. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
46. "Ward boundaries finalised for new (BCP) Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council". BH Living Magazine. 23 October 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
47. "2023 Election Result Canford Heath". BCP Council. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
48. "'A valued member of the community': Canford Heath councillor Pete Parrish dies". Bournemouth Echo. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
49. "2023 Election Result Canford Heath". BCP Council. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
50. "Local Elections Archive Project — Canford Heath East Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2022.

External links

• Canford Heath Community
• Canford Heath Neighbourhood Watch

• Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Dorset
• Areas of Poole
• Heaths of Dorset
• Wards of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
• Politics of Poole