Chickerell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chickerell
B3157 road at Chickerell
Chickerell
Population	5,515
OS grid reference	SY643804
Unitary authority	Dorset
Ceremonial county	Dorset
Region	South West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	WEYMOUTH
Postcode district	DT3
Dialling code	01305
Police	Dorset
Fire	Dorset
Ambulance	South Western
EU Parliament	South West England
UK Parliament	West Dorset
List of places UK England Dorset 50°37′26″N 2°30′17″W / 50.624°N 2.5047°W / 50.624; -2.5047

Chickerell is a town and parish in Dorset, England. It is a newer town in Dorset. In 2011, about 5,515 people lived there.

Discovering Chickerell's Past

Chickerell has a long history. People lived here even in Roman times. We know this because Roman remains have been found.

However, Chickerell as a modern town is quite new. It has grown a lot in the last twenty years. This makes it one of Dorset's newest towns.

Exploring Chickerell's Location

Chickerell is located in a beautiful part of England. To the west, you'll find the Fleet Lagoon. This is a special body of water. Nearby are East Fleet and Langton Herring.

To the north-west is Portesham. To the east is Weymouth. To the south is the Isle of Portland.

The Famous Chesil Beach

Chesil Beach runs along the west side of Chickerell. This amazing beach is part of the Jurassic Coast. The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site. This means it's a very important natural place.

Fun Places to Visit

A popular spot in Chickerell is Bennetts Water Gardens. It's a lovely place to see plants and water features. It's right next to Chickerell Downs. This is a wood managed by the Woodland Trust.

There is also the Chickerell Rifle Range. It is near the Fleet Lagoon. This area is part of the Wyke Regis Training Area.

How Chickerell is Governed

Chickerell has its own local government. This helps to manage the town.

Local Town Council

At the local level, Chickerell is a civil parish. It has a parish council called Chickerell Town Council. This council has ten members. These members are called councillors. They are chosen by people living in two different areas, or "wards."

Dorset Council Representation

Chickerell is also part of the Dorset unitary authority. This is a larger local government area. The Chickerell electoral ward chooses two people to represent them. These representatives work on the Dorset Council.

UK Parliament Elections

For national elections, Chickerell is part of a larger area. This area is called the South Dorset parliamentary constituency. People here vote for a member of the UK Parliament.

Chickerell's Growing Population

In 2011, Chickerell had 5,515 residents. Most people living there (97.4%) were of white, British background.

Age Groups in Chickerell

The population includes different age groups:

• About 18% were under 15 years old.
• 2.8% were 16 or 17 years old.
• 25.9% were between 18 and 44 years old.
• 22.3% were 45 to 59 years old.
• The largest group, 32.3%, were over 60 years old.

More babies are born in Chickerell than people pass away. Also, more people move into Chickerell than move out. This means the population is always growing.

Population Growth Over Time

Chickerell's population has grown a lot since 1960.

• Between 1961 and 1971, it grew by 43%. It went from 2,300 to 3,300 people.
• It has continued to grow since then, but a bit slower.

Chickerell's Economy and Jobs

Chickerell has several places where businesses operate. These are called industrial estates.

Local Businesses and Employers

There are two main industrial estates:

• Granby Industrial Estate
• Lynch Lane Industrial Estate

Many companies have offices or factories here. Some of the big employers include:

• Blundell Harling Ltd
• KEMET Electronics Corp.
• ASM Assembly Systems Ltd (formerly DEK Printing Machines Ltd)
• Tecan Components Ltd
• Ultra Electronics
• Weymouth Land Registry

Tourism and Energy

Along the coast and inland, you can find places for camping and motorhomes. These sites welcome visitors.

Chickerell also has a gas power station. It can produce 45 megawatts of power. There is also a small solar farm. A large grid battery is planned for 2028. It will store 2.4 gigawatt-hours of energy.

Getting Around Chickerell

Chickerell is connected to other places by road and public transport.

Train and Air Travel

The closest train station is Weymouth. It is about 2 miles (3.2 km) away. The nearest coach station is also in Weymouth. If you need to fly, the closest airport is Bournemouth Airport.

Main Roads

The B3157 Chickerell Road is an important road. It connects Chickerell to Weymouth in the east. It also goes along the coast to Bridport in the west. This is the main road in or near the town.

Images for kids

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  B3157 road at Chickerell

See also

In Spanish: Chickerell para niños