Canford Heath facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Canford Heath |
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 View across the modern settlement of Canford Heath |
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 Canford Heath
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| Population | 14,079 (2 Wards 14,079) |
| OS grid reference | SZ027946 |
| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | POOLE |
| Postcode district | BH17 |
| Dialling code | 01202 |
| Police | Dorset |
| Fire | Dorset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament |
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Canford Heath is a large area in Poole, Dorset, in England. It's famous for having the biggest area of natural heathland in Dorset. It's also the largest lowland heath in the whole United Kingdom.
Canford Heath is also the name of the homes built on this heathland from the 1960s to the 1980s. In 2011, about 14,079 people lived here.
Contents
History of Canford Heath
For a long time, Canford Heath was part of a big estate called Canford. In the old Domesday Book, it was known as Cheneford. This land was once "common land," meaning local people could use it.
Around 1810, the land was divided up. This happened because of a law called the Enclosure Act. This law allowed large areas of common land to be fenced off and owned privately.
Early Uses and Fires
In the early 1900s, Canford Heath was used for different things. In 1929, a "hillclimb" race for motorcycles and cars took place here. During Second World War, the heath was used to store military supplies.
Sadly, many large fires happened on the heath. A big series of fires burned most of it in 1938. Another large fire happened in 1947.
Building Homes on the Heath
After the Second World War, people talked about keeping Canford Heath natural. But in 1946, a plan suggested building homes there. This was seen as a better idea than building in the New Forest.
Building work for homes started in South Canford Heath in 1963. Two important schools, Parkstone and Poole grammar schools, moved near the heath in the 1960s. The first combined school opened in Canford Heath in 1970.
The first supermarket, Waitrose, opened in 1970. It later became Kwik Save, and now it's Iceland. More homes were built in North Canford Heath starting in 1973. Another supermarket, now Asda, opened there in 1980.
Protecting the Heathland
In 1984, permission was given to build on all of Canford Heath. But this was only if it didn't become a special protected area. So, in 1985, people asked for much of Canford Heath to become a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This was because of the rare plants and animals living there.
The SSSI status was approved in 1988. However, builders could still build homes on land not in the SSSI. Some people worried that building too close would harm the rare animals. In 1991, a government official stopped further building plans on the heath.
Later, in 2008, there were plans to build homes on an old landfill site. This site was not part of the SSSI. But these plans were stopped. Now, that old landfill site is being turned back into heathland.
Recent Fires
Canford Heath has faced more fires over the years. In 2006, a fire started by people caused about 100 homes to be evacuated. It took many firefighters to put out. About 34 to 45 hectares of heathland burned.
In 2015, another fire spread over 2 hectares. It took 70 firefighters to control. Experts said it could take 15 to 25 years for the heath to fully recover.
On April 23, 2022, a very large fire broke out. Twenty homes had to be evacuated. About 16.7 hectares of land burned. Many animals were sadly killed. The Dorset Wildlife Trust said it would take 15 years for the heath to be restored. Investigators said this fire was started on purpose. More fires happened in May 2022, also caused by human activity.
Canford Heath's Natural Beauty
Canford Heath is the largest heathland in Dorset. Much of it is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It's also part of the Dorset Heathlands Special Protection Area. This means it's a very important place for nature.
It's the biggest lowland heath in the UK. Many rare animals live here. These include the smooth snake, sand lizard, and Dartford warbler. To help these animals and keep the heath healthy, a 10-year plan was started in 2010.
In 2009, a TV show called Springwatch filmed an episode at Hatchpond on Canford Heath.
Life in Canford Heath
Canford Heath has grown into a lively community. It has two pubs, churches, an ASDA supermarket, and five schools. There are also many fun activities for young people. The Tower Park leisure complex, with cinemas and restaurants, is also nearby.
Schools in Canford Heath
In September 2013, the local council changed how schools work. They moved to a primary school system. This means that old "first" and "middle" schools became "infant" and "junior" schools.
Canford Heath has two infant schools: Ad Astra Infant School and Canford Heath Infant School. It also has two junior schools: Haymoor Junior School and Canford Heath Junior School.
For older students, there are two secondary schools: Magna Academy and Poole Grammar School. Poole Grammar School is a school for boys only, and students need to pass a test to get in. There is also a special school for students with special educational needs, called Longspee School & Service.
How Canford Heath is Governed
For local elections, Canford Heath used to be split into two areas: Canford Heath East and Canford Heath West. Each area chose two local councillors.
Since 2019, the area has been part of the Canford Heath ward. This ward chooses three councillors to represent the area on the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council.
For national elections, Canford Heath has been part of the Mid Dorset and North Poole constituency since 1997. The person who represents this area in the UK Parliament is called the MP. The current MP is Michael Tomlinson, who was first elected in 2015.
