celebrating-poundbury-magazine

Celebrating Poundbury // 77BUILDINGA BETTERFUTUREPoundbury is anurban extention ofthe market town ofDorchester. Now22 years after thefirst brick was laid,what economicalimpact has thedevelopment had onits surrounding areas?Adevelopment of thesheer size and scale ofPoundbury will alwaysbe closely scrutinised.The urban extensionto Dorchester willeventually increase thecounty town by a quarter by 2025.Therefore Dorset County Councilundertook an Economic Impact Assessmentof Poundbury to establish the impact of thedevelopment.The findings were:• Approximately £834 million increaseddemand for local goods and servicesover the life of the project (directimpact £33 million)• Which is equivalent to local GrossValue Added(GVA) increasing by about£285 million over the life of the project(direct impact £17 million)• 4,700 people-years of employment(direct impact 3,000 people years)• 3,000 business years including selfemployment(direct impact 2,100business years)Estimates were also made regardingthe potential cumulative effects by thecompletion of the development. Providingthere is no major change, it was estimatedthat Poundbury will have added 431 new fulltime equivalent jobs and 121 new businesses– including self employed to the localeconomy.76 77