Studland is set to be included in plans for a legally enforceable ban on antisocial behaviour in Dorset, which includes lighting disposable barbecues on heathland, and camping illegally on beaches.
In April 2022, Dorset Council brought in new Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) for areas of open land in Dorset, like Wareham Forest and some Dorset beaches like Lulworth, but in a major omission didn’t include most of Purbeck.
Currently there is no legal way in Studland to enforce a ban on lighting fires or barbecues, so the National Trust has to hope people comply with the signs
Major omission
Initially Dorset Council officers said they were unaware of evidence of problems in the Purbeck area, but responses from the National Trust and other landowners, along with Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, HM Coastguard and Studland parish council dispelled that view.
The Covid pandemic brought lots of people to Purbeck who may have otherwise gone on holiday abroad and while that brought a welcome boost to tourism, it also created an unexpected increase in the use of disposable barbecues and wild camping with the associated problem of littering and human waste.
Despite Dorset Council being unaware of problems of wild camping and use of disposable barbecues in Studland before 2022, it was well documented by the emergency services with this picture taken in June 2020
Wild camping and the litter left behind photographed by Purbeck Police in June 2020
In Arne, a disposable barbecue that had caught fire to foliage was reported in July 2021
Too late
The public consultation at the time pointed out the oversight of excluding Studland, which was acknowledged in a Dorset Council report, but it concluded that it was too late for other areas of land to be included in the 2022 orders.
The Dorset Council report in 2022 said:
“The Urban Heaths Partnership have proposed additional areas which they believe would benefit from the restriction. Also, they are concerned that including some open land (in this case Forestry England managed land) but not other land e.g. heathland, may lead to a displacement effect. The National Trust has also asked for Studland Beach to be included.
“The proposed additional areas would require consultation in their own right and therefore cannot be considered for inclusion in this order.”
The report continued:
“However, the issues raised are appreciated and if this order is successful in reducing the risk of fire on open land, a further order may be appropriate.”
With Studland having been omitted from the legislation, it wasn’t long before there was a wildfire in Studland in August 2022 to illustrate how quickly fire can spread across the heath
Smoke billows across Studland in August 2022
However in July 2023 there was an even bigger heath fire in Studland with the likely cause either a camp fire or disposable barbecue
The devastation in July 2023 was clear to see
Consultations launched
Now three years later in 2025, the original orders are up for renewal and Dorset Council is proposing to include Studland beaches and the Purbeck Heaths.
However it will only happen if the public is supportive of the move, so the council has launched two consultations – one about lighting open fires and the other on wild camping, which will be open until Sunday 20th April 2025.
There’s no proposal to introduce the legal bans in Swanage or Durlston Country Park
A National Trust sign at Shell Beach in Studland
Areas of heathland in Purbeck where it’s proposed to bring in a ban on lighting of fires. It doesn’t include Durlston Country Park in Swanage
Dorset Open Land PSPO
This aims to extend controls on the lighting of fires on open land, particularly in areas of open heathland. It addresses issues of anti-social behaviour related to starting fires in grass, heathland, and forest areas.
Such fires pose risks to life, damage biodiversity and habitats, and can lead to significant economic losses from tourism and other land uses.
The order includes provisions against placing, throwing, or dropping items likely to cause a fire, lighting fires, barbecues (including disposable ones), Chinese lanterns, fireworks, or using items that cause a naked flame or pose a fire risk.
It’s hoped that scenes like this that happened in Studland during the pandemic, won’t be repeated
Area of Studland beaches outlined in red, where it’s proposed to have no camping order, but it doesn’t include the Shell Bay or Bramble Bush Bay beach area to the north west of the peninsula
Dorset Beaches (Studland) PSPO
This extends the control on camping on beaches to Studland’s beaches. It would make it an offence to camp on designated land without permission from the landowner or when asked to leave.
This measure is in response to issues of wild camping on Dorset beaches, which have led to increased nuisance complaints, property damage, rubbish accumulation, human waste, and destruction of natural habitats.
The order does not ban people fishing from a beach overnight as long as they are using appropriate equipment and a proper fishing shelter.
Swanage firefighters are currently spending a lot of time attending to beach barbecues when, if this legislation is passed, rangers or enforcement officers will have the power to issue fines if people don’t comply
Criminal offence
These orders mean that if people are behaving antisocially and they don’t stop when asked to by the police or an authorised person like a ranger or enforcement officer, it is a criminal offence and they can be dealt with by a Fixed Penalty Notice of £100 or prosecution in the magistrates court.
Currently in Studland and on Purbeck heathland only a firefighter or coastguard has the legal power to extinguish a disposable barbecue, which can be time consuming when the emergency services have other issues to deal with.
An example of how easily a disposable barbecue can start a fire
“Let us know what you think”
Councillor Gill Taylor, Dorset Council’s cabinet member for health and housing, said:
“These orders are important for the protection of our natural landscapes, and for protecting the safety and amenity of our residents and visitors to our wonderful county.
“Similar orders for other areas have been in place for the past three years, helping to raise awareness of the issues. This consultation is an important part of helping us ensure that views and comments are taken into consideration when we look to make the orders later this year.
“I strongly encourage everyone to please have a look at the proposals and let us know what you think.”
Further information
- The two consultations close on Sunday 20th April 2025
- Dorset Open Land (2) PSPO consultation
- Dorset Beaches (Studland) PSPO consultation
