Bridport Town Council (BTC) has opened a consultation on three new walking routes which take in picturesque areas of the town.

The local authority is also asking people to identify specific heritage assets along the routes which might be suitable for inclusion in a series of podcasts it is launching.

The consultation on the selected routes will seek thoughts on:

  • An urban heritage loop in the centre of town
  • A rivers route, taking in the Rivers Asker and Brit 
  • And an outer green route, which takes in surrounding villages including Burton Bradstock and Symondsbury

All of this work stems from a study which was completed in October 2022 which looked at the 'streetscape and heritage' in the west Dorset market town and how it can be improved, including clamping down on 'street clutter' taking up space on pavements. 

Alongside the consultation on the proposed routes, people are also being asked to propose heritage or nature ‘stopping points’ along the way that are of interest to 'the Bridport story'.

Later this year, Bridport Town Council is hoping to sponsor the production of six downloadable heritage podcasts that will launch the new routes.

These will be available to inform locals and visitors about aspects of Bridport nature and culture.

The town council says that Bridport is a 'busy, thriving town' and 'a centre for shopping and services' for surrounding villages and further afield.

"The need to understand and respond to forces that are driving changes across all UK high streets is also a factor in this project," BTC added.

It is hoped that the town will become a 'distinctive high quality physical environment' that 'differentiates Bridport from other town centres in Dorset'. 

The consultation and questionnaire on the walking routes is open until Wednesday, August 30 and details can be found by visiting www.bridport-tc.gov.uk/streetscape-heritage-interpretation-study/ 

This study now forms an important element of the Bridport Investment Plan, which is another document being drawn up to secure funding for a range of initiatives in the town.

A total of £9 million could be invested into the town in the 'ambitious plan', with Bridport Bus Station one area earmarked for improvement and a virtual college potentially in the pipeline.

For more information about the heritage routes, email David.dixon@bridport-tc.gov.uk