Dorset Tourist Board

WE SAY NO

MORE than 300 people turned out for an “emotional” and highly-charged meeting aimed at stopping Hampshire County Council from digging up 700,000 square metres of Moors Valley Country Park land for sand and gravel extraction.

People packed Verwood’s Memorial Hall on Monday night to hear what the council is proposing at their local beauty spot, on land stretching nearly to Ringwood.

Even children arrived to register their protest, with Bitterne Park School pupil Aled Powell, 12, (pictured) writing this poem:

Why do they want our forests? Have they not got our land?

Do they not rule the beaches and the shining golden sand?

This time they've gone too far - they're doing it all for gravel They're destroying this tourist site, to which many people travel Could they not take a mountain - or deep beneath the sea?

Could they not leave the forests, and the flowers, and the trees?

Alas, it's almost gone now; this sanctuary we once had But they don't really care, when there's money to be had The government should leave off - just give us lot a rest.

They should leave this gravel buried - let the tourists do the rest

So many protesters came to Verwood memorial hall there were people sitting on the floor, filling the lobby and another room had to be opened, where people had to stand and listen to the debate.

Hampshire County Council’s proposals for Moors Valley land, which would generate 250,000 tonnes of sand and gravel a year from a site called Purple Haze, which runs alongside the B3081, generated anger from residents – most of whom only learned of the plan after a public consultation ended.

Campaigners have started up the no2purplehaze group, and leafleted the town in a bid to draw support for their protest. And on Monday night it looked like their campaign was on a roll, with hundreds of people answering their call to arms.

Campaigner Pam Smith said: “People were informed that the area between Verwood and Ringwood and north of Moors Valley would become a quarry for 30 years and for a further 30 years it would be used as a landfill site.

“Many of the residents were worried about the quality of their family life if this was to go ahead as the site boundary would be no more than 400m away from their homes in Verwood. There would be a great deal of noise, dust and smells from the quarry site at Purple Haze.

Dorset Holiday Cottages | Caribbean Cruise Adventure

Dorset is a really lovely county to explore and seriously worth a stay of as long as you can manage. It is beautiful and rural and presents much to see and do.

A great way to enjoy the county is to book a holiday cottage to use as your base. They will be self catering, but with full kitchen area amenities you can cook whatever you desire. It is also better value than eating at restaurants each night, although there are many excellent restaurants that are worth trying.

There is certainly a good number of cottages on the market to book.

A scenic cottage is perfect. If you’re holidaying when the climate is good, use of a back garden is going to be ideal for relaxing in the garden and enjoying some sunshine or perhaps a barbeque. Dorset is particularly renowned for thatched cottages, and hiring one of them for a week will allow you to stay somewhere traditional and beautiful.

Holiday cottages are ideal for groups of friends to hire out or families. You have more seclusion than a hotel and can conveniently come and go as you please.

Renting Dorset holiday cottages is easy. You can get recommendations from the Dorset Tourist Information offices or you can search on the internet for Dorset cottages . Charges range upwards of about £300 for a week, depending on the property. For anyone able to splash out, there are some amazing luxury cottages in the county.

From your base, you can experience what Dorset has to offer. The county is known for its literary connections with Thomas Hardy, the Jurassic Coast that continues for miles and is outstanding for fossils, not to mention the towns and villages that all have their own charms.

Popular locations to stay in are those near the sea in areas such as Studland, Lyme Regis and Weymouth. In 2012, Weymouth and Portland will be especially busy because they are home to the Olympic Games sailing events. If you would like book a property from 27th July to 12th August, do not hesitate! Also, the Paralympic Games will be held between 29th August and 9th September.

Away from the coast, properties near the ruins of Corfe Castle are also highly sought after. Choosing a location further away from the obvious tourist locations is advisable if cost is a concern.

Make sure you compare locations and prices to get the best holiday cottage for you, and then you can take advantage of what Dorset has to offer.

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