Proposals to develop Purbeck Park at Norden in Dorset, as both a transport hub and a tourist destination centre in its own right are gathering pace.
Use of the Dorset Council owned car park, formerly known at the Norden park and ride, has fallen away dramatically since the Covid pandemic in 2020 and the visitor attractions like the children’s play area and an information kiosk now look unloved.
Big plans for Purbeck Park have failed to materialise since it opened
Signposts around the site have already become overgrown and faded
Transport and tourism package
But a consortium of local stakeholders led by Dorset councillor Ben Wilson is hoping to get investment in the site to quickly turn it into a gateway to Purbeck and to help solve parking and traffic problems in nearby Corfe Castle.
The park and ride was relaunched as Purbeck Park with a welcome hub in February 2019, but initial annual net car park takings of £100,000 after expenses has since fallen substantially.
An innovative children’s play park themed around Purbeck’s local heritage has started to show its age and a welcome kiosk is currently boarded up and without an operator, having spent much of 2024 closed.
Even Swanage Railway’s Norden station is selling far fewer tickets than it did 10 years ago, but the consortium hopes that with a little investment and concerted effort, Purbeck Park can present an integrated transport and tourism package for the area.
The Purbeck Sidings children’s play area is in need of some love and attention
The Purbeck Mining Museum is a hidden gem tucked away on the site
A necessity and an opportunity
Ben Wilson, councillor for South East Purbeck said:
“Purbeck Park is both a necessity and a big opportunity. Corfe Castle – indeed, Purbeck – is a traffic nightmare in the summer, but Purbeck Park is a 365 space car park that has every ability to draw all of the traffic out of Corfe and out of Purbeck.
“The opportunity is that we can make this a lot more than what it is today. Today it is a car park with a few facilities and access to the Swanage Railway, but the opportunity in terms of green space, a visitor hub, and connectivity into the other areas of Purbeck is all there.
“Purbeck Park needs a bit of investment, a few basics to get it up to scratch, then some enabling projects like the shuttle bus, a footpath to Corfe Castle, the kiosk to provide facilities and improvements to the playground.
“Then there is more blue sky thinking about what Purbeck Park can be for recreation and leisure, as a visitor hub. Swanage Railway and Purbeck Mining Museum are here already, Dorset Cider is just up the road, Dorset Adventure Park literally adjoins this property, Corfe Castle is within sight.”
It is hoped to connect tourism opportunities given by cycles, heritage trains, buses and walking trails
Paved paths are planned to lead around a woodland lake which was once used in the local mineral industry
“A more appealing offering”
Ben Wilson added:
“Some of the ideas are already funded, some are already happening, some don’t need to cost a lot of money and some we might be able to go into partnerships to achieve.
“There are a lot of businesses around here who have a vested interest in Purbeck Park being a success, not least the National Trust.
“They have actively said that their car park is not big enough and during the summer months it can be full by 10 in the morning, not necessarily with people visiting the castle and spending money with the National Trust, as they may just be off walking all day.
“This is critical for the National Trust as well as for Purbeck Park. We want relocation signs when their car park is full, sending people here.
“There are so many ways we might be able to breathe life into the space and build a more appealing offering for visitors, with the ultimate goal to have them leave their cars there and use other forms of transport to explore Purbeck.”
Boris the dog gave a big paws up to the dog walking tails around Purbeck Park
Corfe Castle is a short walk from Purbeck Park, if a suitable route for a footpath can be found
Extended dog walking trail
Swanage Railway also wants to see improvements on site before the start of its main season in April 2025, which might include the kiosk reopening and run by Norden Station volunteers who would be able to help visitors with tourist information as well as serving food and drinks.
Work has already begun on new paved paths around a lake to the east of the car park as part of an extended dog walking trail and there may be the possibility of money from oil company Perenco to establish cycling routes from Purbeck Park to Studland.
Other ideas in the pipeline include footpath access to the National Trust car park at the edge of Corfe Castle and spaces that could be developed as historic information sites, picnic areas or even for open air cinema.
Gavin Johns at the entrance to Norden Station, which has just had an electronic noticeboard installed
There are spaces which could be used for open air movie nights, with a little investment
“A true gateway for the railway”
Chair of the Swanage Railway Company, Gavin Johns said:
“We are keen to get more people catching the train from here, but also keen to see it become an attraction in its own right – the museum and perhaps the water park are existing attractions we can do work with.
“We could persuade people to park here and enjoy Purbeck whether that’s by cycle, foot, rail or bus. There is a lot of untapped potential here – the signage is pretty poor and we are told by the people who run the cycle hire that customers will ask them where the trains are.
“We would be keen to do something about new signs and opening the kiosk by the start of our season in six weeks time – we don’t want the kiosk to remain closed for the rest of the season, it just makes the whole place look unloved.
“It could be made into a Purbeck visitor centre, able to give out maps and visitor leaflets or just advice, it just needs a bit of care and attention and could quickly be turned into something attractive. This is a true gateway for the railway which I would like to see grow.”
Picnic spots with iconic views out to Corfe Castle could be developed
Watch the Purbeck Park launch video from 2019
Further information
- More about Purbeck Park at Norden
