Winter 2020 - BTV Issue 34

Shop and community hub allocated for Colmer site

The Neighbourhood Plan includes an allocation on the Colmer site, opposite the Marshwood church, for a new 30-space car park at the edge of which a new community centre and shop could be sited. A public meeting in late 2018 supported the idea of having a car park there (and possibly also a shop, the closure having just been announced of the previous Marshwood shop) in return for the allocation of some housing.

Marshwood Community Land Trust, has formed a sub committee dedicated for Shop & Community Hub, and has been working to investigate possible sites. Having looked at other locations, the Colmer location was chosen given its central position, good car park space and vicinity to the school and church.

The present plan is to erect a building, owned by the Marshwood Community Land Trust and to rent out the shop area to be run commercially, with possible local volunteer support.

A new village shop and community hub could facilitate additional postal outreach services (currently held at the church for one afternoon a week but depends on church volunteers). It would also provide a room to be used by the local police for a monthly surgery to meet villagers, (this used to take place at the village shop), a meeting room for the CLT and other organisations, and a space for artists to meet or exhibit.

Advantages of the site, it’s near the main population centre of Marshwood with good parking and delivery facilities and would be owned by the local community. Traffic flow is good with about 1,850 vehicles passing daily as well as use by local residents and school/church users. There would be a twice-daily flow of potential customers from parents picking up and dropping off children at school. This really is significant, think of all those lastminute extra purchases, eg milk and bread, potatoes for tea, snacks for the kids

Potential for small-volume catering especially during the summer months, perhaps icecream and teas with a few tables and chairs outside. The Colmer land owner has agreed to provide free-of-charge a completed and fenced 30-space car park, plus an area at the side on which a combined community hub/ shop building could be placed. Overall site ownership would be transferred to the parish council, which has agreed to be responsible for ongoing site maintenance

Marshwood Shop Committee 

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