Ward InformationWard Clerk: Jo Hughes
Email: [email protected]
Ward Councillors: Bridget Bowell, Anne Rickard and Andy Holdridge – contact details and Committee Membership details can be found below.
Bothenhampton & Walditch Ward Mailing List: email the Ward Clerk to request to join the Bothenhampton & Walditch Ward mailing list to be kept up to date on relevant news and information within the ward.
Bothenhampton & Walditch Ward Facebook Page: the very latest news and information within the ward can be found by following us on Facebook –Bothenhampton & Walditch Ward Partnership.
The website of the former Bothenhampton & Walditch Parish Council which was dissolved on 31st March 2024 following a Community Governance Review can be found here. Bothenhampton & Walditch Parish Council – A History of Sorts by Graham Styles can be read here.
Bridport Town Council Wards
Bridport Town Council is the parish authority for the town of Bridport. The Town Council provides a large number of services in its area and also represents the town on all matters affecting Bridport Parish. The Parish is divided into five Wards, Bothenhampton and Walditch, Bradpole, Bridport Central, West Bridport and Allington, and West Bay. Each ward is represented by its own Councillors and a Ward Clerk. The population of the parish area is approximately 13,500.
Bothenhampton lies to the south-east of the town of Bridport and one mile from the sea at West Bay. The layout of the village dates from medieval times. Hollow Way with its unusual high pavement and Green Lane which leaves the meadows of the river Asker and leads more or less directly to the old church are certainly medieval. Mixed farming has been the main activity since the earliest times and the crops included sheep, cattle, cereals and apples. Flax and hemp were grown for the twine, rope and netmaking industry of Bridport. There was quarrying, brick and tile making and occupations associated with the sea have also been important.
Walditch neighbours Bothenhampton, about half a mile to the east of Bridport. The name Walditch is derived from an older term Waldyke, which alludes to the village’s location: Walditch is located in the valley of a curved hill that encompasses the village; the hill has a dry stone wall still partially in place, which continues over towards Bothenhampton. Walditch has a real tennis court, on the site of which King Henry VII played during his visits to the area. Walditch is composed of Old Walditch (the original Walditch) and lower Walditch, a housing estate built around 1998.
Meetings
Details of upcoming meetings for the Bothenhampton & Walditch Ward will appear below, along with notes from previous meetings.
Notice of Meetings
Ward meetings with your Ward Councillors take place every 3/4 months and alternate between Bothenhampton Village Hall and Walditch Village Hall.
- The next Bothenhampton & Walditch Ward Public Engagement Session will take place in September 2025 at Walditch Village Hall – date and time to be confirmed.
Notes from Previous Meetings
2024/25 Bothenhampton & Walditch Ward Meetings:
- Notes from the Public Engagement Session held on 24th July 2024 at Bothenhampton Village Hall.
- Notes including Updates from the Public Engagement Session held on 17th September 2024 at Walditch Village Hall.
- Notes including Updates from the Public Engagement Session held on 28th November 2024 at Bothenhampton Village Hall.
- Notes including Updates from the Public Engagement Session held on 4th February 2025 at Walditch Village Hall.
- Notes including Updates from the Public Engagement Session held on 29th April 2025 at Bothenhampton Village Hall.
In between meetings, please take a read of the monthly Bridge community magazine which provides the latest ward news and information from your Ward Clerk. The latest issue can be read here.
The Bothenhampton & Walditch Ward Facebook page also provides timely and relevant news and information.
Councillor information
Councillor Bridget Bolwell
12 Maple Gardens, DT6 4DP
email: [email protected]
Committee Membership: Environment & Social Wellbeing Committee
Councillor Andrew Holdridge
9 Elwell, DT6 4DX
e-mail: [email protected]
Committee Membership: Finance and General Purposes Committee, Neighbourhood Plan Joint Councils Committee, Best Value and Scrutiny Sub Committee
Councillor Anne Rickard, Town Mayor
“Rydens”, Westown, Bothenhampton DT6 4BQ
(01308) 420908/07472 536181
email: [email protected]
Committee Membership: Finance and General Purposes Committee, Planning Committee, Environment & Social Wellbeing Committee, Staffing Appeals Sub Committee, Best Value and Scrutiny Sub Committee
Planning
The Town Council is not a planning authority and as such does not make final decisions on planning applications; this is the responsibility of Dorset Council. However, the Town Council is a statutory consultee and as such receives all planning applications relating to the town wards for comment. All planning applications previous and current can be found on the Dorset Council Planning Portal.
Current planning applications for 2025 for Bothenhampton & Walditch Ward can be found below:
- P/LBC/2024/05616 – THE HYDE RESIDENTIAL HOME, WALDITCH ROAD (BOTHENHAMTPON & WALDITCH) – Conversion of existing two storey stable block to form additional residential care rooms associated infrastructure and link to main care home facility, internal alterations and access works – under officer consideration.
- P/HOU/2024/07507 – 8 MARSH GATE (BOTHENHAMPTON AND WALDITCH) – Demolish conservatory, erect single storey extension and extend first floor roof space by raising the existing ridge line and eaves – application granted 11th February 2025.
- P/FUL/2024/05617 – THE HYDE RESIDENTIAL HOME, WALDITCH ROAD (BOTHENHAMPTON AND WALDITCH) – Conversion of former stable building to form additional 11 care home bedrooms and ancillary accommodation – under officer consideration.
- P/FUL/2025/00218 – 48, CROCK LANE (BOTHENHAMPTON AND WALDITCH) – Change of use classification from existing Use Class 3(b) (Supported Living Service for up to 6 young adults with Learning Disabilities) to Use Class C3(a) dwelling house – application withdrawn 29th January 2025.
- P/TRT/2025/00106 – THE OLD WOOLYARD, WALDITCH ROAD (BOTHENHAMPTON AND WALDITCH)
T1, T2 & T3 Beech – Fell
T4 Field Maple – Fell
T5 Oak – Fell
T6 Sycamore – Fell
T7 & T8 Ash – Fell
Application approved 6th March 2025. - P/CLP/2025/00975 – ASHBOURNE, WESTOWN (BOTHENHAMPTON AND WALDTICH) – Use of land to station a mobile home granny annexe for use incidental to the main dwelling. Certificate of Lawful Use Proposed – Application granted 17th March 2025.
- P/TRT/2025/01050 – 7 HOWARD CLOSE (BOTHENHAMPTON AND WALDITCH) – T1 Cedar – Reduce branches on property side back by 1m (cut size 10cm). The Town Council is being consulted as land owner – Application granted 25th March 2025.
- P/NMA/2025/009539 – CHESTNUT ROAD (BOTHENHAMPTON AND WALDITCH) – Non-material amendment to Approved P/A P/HOU/2024/01961 (Remove existing conservatory; erect 2 storey rear extension with solar panels; erect detached garage building with solar panels) to vary condition 2 in relation to the drawings from P01 revision 2 to P01 revision 3 – Application granted 4th March 2025.
- P/HOU/2025/01061 – 2 LONGS LANE (BOTHENHAMPTON & WALDITCH) – Proposed replacement garden studio room – Application granted 11th April 2025.
- New Tree Preservation Order TPO/2025/0025 – LAND REAR OF MAY COTTAGE, OLD CHURCH ROAD (BOTHENHAMPTON AND WALDITCH)
Tree Preservation Order 2025
T1 – Beech - P/NMA/2025/01640 – 8 MARSH GATE (BOTHENHAMPTON AND WALDITCH) – Non material amendment – correction to drawing number on condition 6 of planning permission P/HOU/2024/07507 (Demolish conservatory, erect single storey extension and extend first floor roof space by raising the existing ridge line & eaves). Application granted 24th March 2025.
- New Tree Preservation Order TPO/2025/0034 – LAND TO NORTH OF THE OLD RECTORY (BOTHENHAMPTON & WALDITCH) – T1 – Ash
- P/TRC/2025/02412 – THE OLD RECTORY, VILLAGE ROAD (BOTHENHAMPTON AND WALDITCH)
T1 , T3, T4, T5 & T6 Ash – Fell
T7 Ash – Reduce over-extending branches to appropriate growth points up to 2-2.5m where necessary
T2 Sycamore – Fell
No objection 19th May 2025.
News
Come along and chat to your Ward Councillors at the next Public Engagement meeting in September 2025 (date to be confirmed) at Walditch Village Hall.
Temporary Road Closure – Walditch Road from 30th June – 16th July.
A Bothenhampton & Walditch 20mph Resident Survey was delivered to every household in Bothenhampton and Walditch as an insert in the October edition of the Bridge magazine to seek resident views/support on 20mph within the ward. The survey results indicate that 96% of respondents are in favour of reducing speed limits from 30mph to 20mph on certain roads in the ward. The Town Council met with the Dorset Council Road Safety Team in May to discuss coordination of multiple 20mph applications for the Bridport Town Council wards including Bothenhampton & Walditch. Following the meeting it was agreed that the wards would submit individual 20mph applications. Bothenhampton & Walditch ward have now requested the required speed surveys and these will be carried out at three locations in the ward and are likely to take place in July/August.
Lend a Hand are looking for volunteers for 1 to 2 hours per week to help support the socially isolated. If you can help, please use the contact information in the flyer below to find out more.
