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Property Search - PoolePoole is a coastal town port and tourist destination situated on the shores of the English Channel in the ceremonial county of Dorset in southern England. The town has a population of 141 128 and is part of the South East Dorset conurbation of which the other two principal towns are Bournemouth and Christchurch. Poole is famed for its large natural harbour and is one of the main centres of sailing in England.Prominent employers in Poole include Barclays Bank Hamworthy Engineering Poole Packaging Dancemania Dancewear Penske Cars and Ryvita. The town is home to the headquarters of luxury yacht manufacturer Sunseeker the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) cosmetics company Lush and the clothing company Animal. Poole is positioned on a popular stretch of coastline with the resort of Bournemouth to the east Studland and the Jurassic coast to the west. Poole lies on the northern and eastern sides of Poole Harbour. The oldest part of the town (including the historic quarter of Poole the Dolphin Shopping centre and Poole Park) lie to the south of the Holes Bay and the north of Poole Harbour. To the west of Poole is Upton. Within the northern boundaries of Poole are the settlements of Broadstone and Merley with Wimborne lying just across the northern border. Also within the northern boundary is Canford Heath a new settlement built on an internationally important heathland during the 1960s 1970s and 1980s. Thankfully what is left of the heath is now protected although still in private hands. At the eastern edge of Poole the town abutts Bournemouth and the settlements of Talbot Village Wallisdown Kinson Winton and Westbourne. The administrative boundary of Poole also includes the mainly residential areas of Parkstone Newtown Branksome and Hamworthy. The Poole areas of Wallisdown and Talbot Village houses students who attend Bournemouth University (the administrative area and main campus of which is in fact located in Poole itself). Sandbanks a small sand peninsula across part of the harbour mouth (to the east of the main town centre) is so popular that it has the highest land value per sq foot in the world. There are exclusive homes both on Sandbanks and the area stretching east from the Harbour to The Avenue (the eastern boundary of Poole). Poole Harbour (said to be the second largest natural harbour in the world after Sydney) has been a working port for many hundreds of years though the port has declined somewhat as the shallow water cannot take the largest ships. The harbour is noted for its ecology: supporting saltmarsh mudflats and an internationally important population of wintering waterfowl as well as the Brownsea Island nature reserve where the Scouting movement began. Today the port is amongst other things the home of Sunseeker manufacturers of luxury yachts and the departure point for ferries (Brittany Ferries and Condor Ferries) to France and the Channel Islands. The quayside and harbour was the place from which some ships departed for the D-Day landings of World War II. There is currently a plan to expand the port and enlarge the capacity and facilities so that larger ships even cruise ships can dock in Poole. This is all part of the rejuvination of the town alongside many new developments and amenities including the new bridge which will be going into erection stages in the near future. Poole Harbour is a popular location for watersports because it is sheltered and calm. The Sandbanks / shore road area is very popular for windsurfing and kitesurfing with plenty of on road (charged) parking adjacent to the harbour. Hamworthy Park is also a good location for windsurfing but parking is limited. Poole Harbour is also one of the largest centres for sailing in the UK with many yacht clubs including Lilliput Sailing Club Parkstone Yacht Club and Poole Yacht Club. Parkstone Yacht Club has recently been hosts of the OK World Championships numerous large National Championships as well as being organisers of Youth Week and Poole Week two of the largest dinghy regattas of their type in the country. In 2006 they will be hosts of the J24 European Championship Regatta. Poole's best known sports team is its motorcycle speedway team the Poole Pirates. Poole's oldest football team is Poole Town F.C. who play in the Wessex League Premier Division. Poole Borough F.C. play in the Dorset Premier League. Poole's entertainment sites include Tower Park the refurbished arts centre now known as The Lighthouse Poole town centre itself and Bournemouth's clubs bars and restaurants. Poole Museum re-opens in June 2007 following a refurbishment and extension funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The extension designed by architects Horden Cherry Lee includes a balcony with views over the Old Town and Harbour. Entrance will be free. Poole is twinned with Cherbourg in France. |
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