BOURNEMOUTH AND POOLE
SPORTS FACILITIES STRATEGY AND
ACTION PLAN
2014-26
‘NON-TRADITIONAL’ SPORTS FACILITIES
ASSESSMENT
DECEMBER, 2013
CONTENTS
Section
Page
Introduction
3
Wheel Parks
11
Water Sports
33
Beach Sports
76
Off-road Cycling
93
Parkour
119
Orienteering
124
Outdoor Gyms
127
Outdoor Table Tennis
131
Appendix 1 ETTA Outdoor Table Tennis Pilot Findings
135
1
2
Introduction
This ‘Non-traditional’ Sports Facilities Assessment report forms one of a suite
of documents which provide evidence for or ‘sit behind’ the Sports Strategy
for Bournemouth and Poole.
Figure 1: Bournemouth and Poole Sports Strategy Documents
Methodology
Report
Strategic and
Literature
Review Report
Consultation
and
Engagement
Report
Facilities and
Pitch Audits
Report
Sports
Strategy &
Action Plans
Non-traditional
Sports
Facilities
Assessment
Data Profile
Report
Playing Pitch
Assessment
Built Facilities
Assessment
The report utilises information and data set out or referenced in the ‘sister’
documents to provide an assessment and analysis of existing ‘non-traditional’
facility provision, demand and gaps in provision and the identification of future
needs.
It therefore provides the link for non-traditional sports facilities
between evidence collected through audits, surveys, consultation and data
analysis and the Sports Strategy itself which will set out the strategic
approach to sports facility and pitch provision in Bournemouth and Poole in
the period to 2026.
3
Scope of Assessment
The typology for the ‘non-traditional’ sports facilities assessment is as follows:
 Wheel parks (which incorporate use by skateboards, scooters, freestyle
BMX and in-line skating etc);
 Informal watersports (which include surfing, windsurfing, kite surfing, SUP
(stand-up paddle surfing), bodyboarding, open water swimming, wake
boarding, scuba, parasailing, etc.);
 Marine / harbour / organised watersports (which include sailing and
rowing);
 Beach sports (which include beach soccer and beach volleyball);
 Off-road cycling (which include cycle speedway, BMX racing and informal
dirt track BMX, track cycling, cyclocross); and,
 Other outdoor pursuits (including parkour, orienteering, outdoor gym,
outdoor park table tennis).
The assessment focuses on the facilities used by people playing these sports
and have been assessed as far as is possible within the limitations of this
strategic study.
In some cases, sports could benefit from additional
assessment to identify specific actions and deliverables. Some of the above
sports facilities have more evidence behind conclusions than others, which is
well-documented in the assessment report which follows.
Key Stages of Assessment
There is no formal methodology or guidance on how to approach an
assessment of facilities for the non-traditional list of sports.
Therefore, a
‘good practice’ approach has been adopted which broadly follows that used for
built facilities.
The assessment therefore focuses on following things and seeks to gather
data and information for each:
4
 Current supply and quantity of existing provision;
 Quality of existing provision;
 Accessibility of existing provision (local catchment areas, cost of use,
physical access, ownership, management and use constraints);
 Current demand and capacity of existing provision;
 Shortfalls / gaps in existing provision;
 Projecting future demand and needs; and,
 Identifying future provision requirements and standards.
Following assessment, the Sports Strategy will utilise the conclusions, setting
out how best to respond to changes implied by analysis in the period to 2026.
It is important to recognise that this analysis and assessment does not
consider commercial or competitive issues, but takes a fact-based strategic
look at provision and existing and future needs and demand.
Responsibility for delivering improved and additional pitches and
facilities
The assessment identifies both shortfalls in existing provision and demands
and needs of sports in the period to 2026.
While the development of the
Strategy has been commissioned by Bournemouth Borough Council and
Borough of Poole (with support from Active Dorset and Sport England) it is not
suggested that any additional pitches or facilities proposed to fill identified
shortfalls or future provision should be funded and delivered by the local
authorities. The nature of sports facility and pitch provision has changed over
the last decade or so with the role of local authorities now moving away from
that of a provider and operator of facilities to that of a facilitator.
New pitches and facilities are most likely to be provided in partnership by local
authorities, sports organisations, national sports governing bodies, the
education
sector
/
establishments,
5
clubs,
businesses
and
operators,
community groups, or more commonly by a combination of one or more of
these.
Local authorities will play a key enabling and co-ordination role in
planning for and delivering new facilities across their respective Boroughs.
The
same
applies
to
the
improvement
of
existing
facilities,
where
management and / or ownership of existing facilities is no longer (or never
has been) the responsibility of the Council.
Sources of Information
The main sources of information used for this assessment are as follows.
Some of the sources identified below are not available for some of the nontraditional sports or facilities included in the assessment, but where they are
relevant they are used.
 The audit of facilities which takes a ‘snapshot’ of facilities’ condition in
terms of quality, quantity and accessibility (see the Audit Report);
 The Sport England collated data from Active People Survey and illustrated
by the Market Segmentation Tool;
 Stakeholder surveys (sent to clubs, schools / colleges / Academies,
leagues and key local individuals where known) for those sports identified
in the typology) (see Consultation and Engagement Report);
 Stakeholder interviews, workshops and meetings (see Consultation and
Engagement Report);
 User and Council resident surveys (where already available);
 National Sports Governing Bodies (NGB) comments and priorities for their
sport in Bournemouth and Poole;
 Local authority officer and Member (Councillor) views; and,
 Other sources of information as detailed in the Data Profile Report.
National Sports Governing Bodies
As stated in the Consultation & Engagement Report which accompanies the
Sports Strategy, all relevant National Sports Governing Bodies (NGBs) were
approached during preparation of this assessment and strategy and given the
6
opportunity to provide their thoughts on provision in Bournemouth and Poole.
Where responses were received from NGBs, their key issues and priorities
have been noted and taken into consideration in the assessments. Where an
assessment does not have reference to NGB priorities or key issues, no
response from the relevant NGB was received.
Sub-areas
Much of the data on pitches is listed and broken down into sub-areas within
Bournemouth and Poole. This has been done to help provide more localised
assessment than that provided at a Borough-wide scale if required at a later
date. The sub areas comprise aggregations of wards and are as follows:
Figure 2: Sub-areas
Sub-area
reference
Wards
Bournemouth
B1
Talbot & Branksome Woods, Central, Westbourne & West Cliff
B2
Boscombe East, Boscombe West, East Cliff & Springbourne
B3
Kinson North, Kinson South, Redhill & Northbourne
B4
Wallisdown & Winton West, Winton East, Queen’s Park
B5
Throop & Muscliff, Strouden Park
B6
West Southbourne, East Southbourne & Tuckton, Littledown &
Iford
Poole
P1
Hamworthy East, Hamworthy West, Poole Town
P2
Parkstone, Penn Hill, Newtown
P3
Canford Cliffs, Branksome East, Branksome West, Alderney
P4
Oakdale, Canford Heath East, Canford Heath West
P5
Creekmoor, Broadstone, Merley & Bearwood
7
Figure 3: Sub-areas mapped
8
However, sub areas are more helpful for Sports Strategy development in less
urbanised areas where there are distinct settlements and catchments within a
large area of land.
These assessments, however, refer to areas of
Bournemouth and Poole with which people are familiar more often than the
more artificially constructed sub-areas, which it is considered is more helpful
to those reading and delivering the strategy and action plan.
Accessibility
Accessibility is an important issue, both for able-bodied people and those with
a disability and local authority and other owners, managers and providers of
facilities and pitches should respond positively to their responsibility to ensure
that good access is maintained.
Sport England’s current strategy sets out its focus for the period to 2017
which is to increase regular participation in sport amongst young people aged
14 - 25 and disabled people. These aims encapsulated by Sport England are
also translated to aims and objectives for specific sports through the
individual strategies of the National Sports Governing Bodies (NGBs) and also
tied to their funding from Sport England by setting targets for increasing
participation rates for both able-bodied and disabled people wanting to take
part in sport at all skill / ability levels.
This assessment and the audits which form the evidence which underpin the
strategy have identified the existing facilities and pitches where there is a
need to improve accessibility. Bournemouth Borough Council and Borough of
Poole officers have the records from the detailed audits undertaken by their
staff during the assessment process which can be used as a basis for
establishing a programme of scheduled improvements.
All new facilities should be designed so that there is good accessibility and
should follow design and access requirements for access outlined by the
9
appropriate Building Regulations and the Disability Discrimination Act 1. This
will be a requirement on all new developments enforced through the planning
system and building control processes overseen by the Councils as local
planning authority and responsible authority for enforcing building regulations.
The importance of access goes beyond physical access to facilities and pitches
to, for example, good coaching, joining clubs or getting informal access, ease
of booking, an understanding of availability of facilities to play sport and
provision of affordable sports opportunities. These issues are covered by this
1
the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) requires service providers to make 'reasonable
adjustments' to their premises to tackle any physical features that prevent disabled people
from using their services. See the Planning Portal here
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/buildingregulations/approveddocuments/partm/approved#D
ownload and the NHBC guidance note here
http://www.nhbc.co.uk/Builders/ProductsandServices/BuildingControl/documents/filedownload,
40529,en.pdf for further information on the DDA and Building Regualtions (Part M).
10
Wheel Parks
Wheel park information and data has been gathered from a number of sources
including:
 an audit of all existing wheel parks;
 a survey distributed to Youth Leaders who run youth centres, where they
discussed questions (including, but not exclusively about, wheel parks) on
quality, quantity and accessibility to facilities for young people. 14 surveys
were returned;
 Bournemouth Borough Council Parks Survey (February 2013) data;
 Borough of Poole Children and Young People’s Services Consultation
(March 2013);
 Discussion with a key local adult skater who uses the parks; and,
 Wider consultation as documented in the Consultation & Engagement
Report which accompanies the Sports Strategy.
Defining wheel parks
For the purposes of this assessment, wheel parks are outdoor structures
which provide ramps for use by skateboards, freestyle BMX, scooters and inline skating.
They tend to be openly accessible facilities in parks or other
public areas. While it is important to note any commercially run wheel parks
in the Boroughs, they are considered within that context, i.e. that they
provide some of the supply but that they may be restricted to some parts of
the population due to cost.
Outdoor informal BMX tracks are more specifically designed to cater for offroad cycles, even though largely for informal use, and are therefore
considered as part of the assessment on cycling facilities.
Current supply and quantity of existing provision
Figure 4a lists the location of wheel parks in Bournemouth and Poole (and
their size). All apart from one are public and open facilities.
11
Figure 4a: Wheel Parks in Bournemouth and Poole
Bournemouth
Poole
Slades Farm (large site)
Fleetsbridge (medium)
King’s Park (large)
Rossmore (medium)
Duck Lane / Poole Lane (small)
Harbourside Park (medium)
Redhill Park (small)
Arne Valley / Arne Avenue (mini)
Townsend / Noyce Gardens (small / Sherborne Crescent (small / mini)
mini)
Moore Avenue (small)
Prevail
Skatehouse
(large,
indoor,
commercial)
We understand that there is an additional new skate park proposed at Turlin
Moor Recreation Ground in Poole.
Location of Facilities and Catchment areas
The map below shows the location of wheel parks in Bournemouth and Poole.
It is considered appropriate to adopt a 20 minute walking distance for medium
and large parks and a 10 minute walking distance for small and mini sites.
The catchments are also shown on the map.
12
Figure 4b: Location and catchments for wheel parks
Source: Borough of Poole
13
N.B. Map and key courtesy of Borough of Poole
14
The mapping shows that there are a number of gaps in supply where
opportunities could be taken to provide one or more facility, depending on the
size and demonstrated demand locally. These areas are:
Bournemouth
 East Southbourne / Tuckton
 West Southbourne
 Throop / Muscliff
 Charminster / Moordown
 Strouden
 Boscombe East
 Queen’s Park – Winton Recreation Ground
 Meyrick Park / Talbot Woods
 Westbourne and Westcliff
 Central Bournemouth
Poole
 Branksome Park
 Branksome East
 Parkstone
 Canford Cliffs
 Hamworthy / Turlin Moor
 Longfleet
 Creekmoor
 Broadstone
 Merley
Bournemouth / Poole
 West Howe / Bearwood / Bearcross
Immediately outside of Bournemouth and Poole, there are skate parks
nearby, the most significant of which is the Arena Wheel Park (at Two
Riversmeet) in Christchurch.
15
Population Density
In relation to the gaps identified above, some areas have a higher existing
population density than others, suggesting a greater need for additional wheel
parks which can help to prioritise delivery of additional facilities.
Amongst the areas with gaps in provision, the following have the highest
densities (areas at or around 6,000+ people per sqkm.):
In Poole
 Parts of Poole town centre;
 Longfleet; and,
 Creekmoor.
In Bournemouth
 Westbourne / West Cliff; and,
 East of Meyrick Park.
Source: Data sourced from ONS interactive mapping http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/interactive/census-map1-4/index.html
Index of Multiple Deprivation
There are a number of areas which have relatively high levels of deprivation
and which correlate with gaps in provision of wheel parks in Bournemouth and
Poole:
In Poole
 Hamworthy and Turlin Moor; and,
 Sterte / Longfleet / area east of Twin Sails Bridge.
In Bournemouth
 Westbourne and West Cliff.
16
Quality and accessibility of existing provision
The main source of information about the quality of wheel parks has come
from the audit, survey returns from youth clubs and discussion with other key
interested parties. The key issues, which focus on where improvements could
be made, are summarised below. The absence of comments on quality means
that quality has been rated as ‘good’ or ‘very good’.
Findings from the audit and consultation
Bournemouth
Key issues raised
Some ramps are in poor condition.
Youth survey comments suggested a need for safe
toilet facilities, floodlights on at appropriate times and a
Slades Farm (large
site)
seating area, although the priority was identified as
improving the surface of the wheel park so that it is
‘not like sandpaper’. Resurfacing would increase its
use.
An adult skater consulted suggested that the surface
will be in need of replacement soon.
King’s Park (large)
Duck Lane / Poole
Lane (small)
Redhill Park (small)
An adult skater consulted suggested that the surface is
getting ‘tired’.
Overall condition rated as ‘adequate’.
An adult skater consulted suggested that the facility
needs to be refurbished.
Overall condition rated as ‘poor’.
Surface quality rated as ‘poor’.
Townsend / Noyce
Gardens (small /
Overall condition rated as ‘adequate’.
mini)
17
Bournemouth
Key issues raised
Moore Avenue
Overall condition rated as ‘adequate’.
(small)
Poole
Key issues raised
Fleetsbridge
Some signs of vandalism.
(medium)
Some signs of vandalism.
Rossmore (medium)
The audit notes that there appears to be some conflict
between the leisure centre and the skate park.
Some signs of vandalism.
Overall condition rated as ‘adequate’.
Harbourside Park
Youth survey comments suggested a desire for the
(Baiter) (medium)
park to be rebuilt as a concrete facility.
An adult skater consulted suggested that the quality of
the facility is ‘poor’ and needs to be refurbished.
Arne Valley / Arne
Some signs of vandalism.
Avenue (Mini)
Overall condition rated as ‘adequate’.
Sherborne Crescent
Some signs of vandalism.
(small / mini)
Overall condition rated as ‘adequate’.
Prevail Skatehouse
(large, indoor,
Bournemouth and Poole.
commercial)
Other
issues
This has been identified as the best facility in
about
quality
which
have
arisen
from
consultation
are
summarised below:
 From other sources of information, the following additional key comments
have been identified:
18
 An adult skater consulted suggested that the quality of most skate
parks in Bournemouth and Poole are ‘not in very good condition’. This
is a valid comment to take into account as users know what makes a
good quality facility.
 From the surveys returned, the following additional key comments arise:
 There are good quality facilities in places like Christchurch, Ferndown
and Verwood, the type of which should be provided in Bournemouth
and Poole; and,
 One survey (returned from a Youth Leader in Poole) suggested that
there is little need for additional wheel parks, with the focus needing to
be on improving existing provision as a priority.
Current demand and capacity of existing provision
The key issues in relation to each wheel park in terms of demand and capacity
are identified below:
Bournemouth
Key issues raised
Youth survey comments suggested a desire for new
Slades Farm (large
ramps and a half pipe at Slades Farm, which would
site)
increase use of the facility.
Surveys also suggested that the facility is well-used.
King’s Park (large)
Duck Lane / Poole
Lane (small)
Redhill Park (small)
Youth survey comments suggested that the facility is
well-used.
None.
None.
Townsend / Noyce
Gardens (small /
None.
mini)
Moore Avenue
None.
19
(small)
Poole
Key issues raised
Fleetsbridge
Youth survey comments suggested that the facility is
(medium)
well-used.
The Borough of Poole Children and Young People’s
Rossmore (medium)
Services Consultation suggested that more equipment
is needed at the facility.
Harbourside Park
Youth survey comments suggested that the facility is
(Baiter) (medium)
well-used.
Arne Valley / Arne
Avenue (Mini)
Sherborne Crescent
(small / mini)
None.
None.
Prevail Skatehouse
(large, indoor,
None.
commercial)
Other issues which have arisen from consultation are summarised below:
 From the surveys returned, the following key comments arise:
 There is demand for an additional good quality wheel park within riding
distance of Slades Farm;
 Some respondents identified a need for a wheel park in Townsend;
 Demand will tend to be high for free to access facilities like wheel parks
as formal sport and leisure facilities can restrict use due to the cost to
use them;
 As identified above, one survey (returned from a Youth Leader in Poole)
suggested that there is little need for additional wheel parks, with the
focus needing to be on improving existing provision as a priority.
 From other sources of information, the following key comments have been
identified:
20
 Some comments in the Borough of Poole Children and Young People’s
Services Consultation suggested that there is a need for additional
wheel parks in Poole and wheel parks were a popular choice when
children were asked for their ‘likes’;
 An adult skater consulted suggested that skate parks are underprovided for in Bournemouth and Poole, highlighting areas of Townsend
and Kinson, Turlin Moor (although it was acknowledged that there is an
active group seeking to deliver a skate park there) and West & East
Howe.
Projecting future demand and needs
Housing growth and population change
As the Data Profile report highlights, the population of Bournemouth and Poole
will increase significantly in the period to 2026 as Figure 5 shows.
Figure 5: Population Change Projected to 2026 by Sub-area 2
Bournemouth
Sub-area
B1
B2
B3
B4
B5
B6
Total
2011
30,130
33,610
29,560
43,240
18,620
28,300
183,460
2026
31,230
36,440
32,080
46,410
20,120
31,230
197,510
Poole
Sub-area
P1
P2
P3
P4
P5
Total
2011
23,650
34,550
33,800
25,680
30,400
148,080
2026
24,840
37,400
36,270
27,150
33,210
158,870
Sub-areas contain the following wards: B1 - Talbot & Branksome Woods, Central, Westbourne
& West Cliff; B2 – Boscombe East, Boscombe West, East Cliff & Springbourne; B3 – Kinson
North, Kinson South, Redhill & Northbourne; B4 – Wallisdown & Winton West, Winton East,
Queen’s Park; B5 – Throop & Muscliff, Strouden Park; B6 – West Southbourne, East
Southbourne & Tuckton, Littledown & Iford; P1 – Hamworthy East, Hamworthy West, Poole
Town; P2 – Parkstone, Penn Hill, Newtown; P3 – Canford Cliffs, Branksome East, Branksome
West, Alderney; P4 – Oakdale, Canford Heath East, Canford Heath West; P5 – Creekmoor,
Broadstone, Merley & Bearwood.
2
21
Source: Bournemouth Borough Council, September 2013, using POPGROUP software developed by Bradford
Council, the University of Manchester and Andelin Associates
These projections take into account allocated housing growth in the period to
2026. Figure 6 below sets out how population is anticipated to change in the
10 – 19 age group in the period to 2026, the age group which is most likely to
use wheel parks. The significant rise in the number of young people in this
age group suggests a rising need and demand for wheel parks to provide open
access opportunities to play sport informally near to where young people live.
Figure 6: Projected Population Change in the 10 – 19 Age Group in
Bournemouth and Poole 2011 - 2026
24,000
22,000
20,000
Bournemouth 10 - 19
18,000
Poole 10 - 19
16,000
14,000
12,000
2011
2016
2021
2026
Source: Bournemouth Borough Council Projections, 2013.
In addition to knowing how population might change during the plan period to
help identify the implications for facilities, understanding where development
is likely to happen and therefore where much of the population increase is
likely to occur is important in order to understand where change might be
needed. The adopted plans for the Boroughs identify around 10,000 dwellings
to be provided in Poole between 2006 and 2026 and around 7,500 in
Bournemouth between 2011 and 2026 in the following places.
22
Figure 7: Housing Allocations in Bournemouth and Poole
Bournemouth
Poole
5,500 in appropriate locations across
1,850+ at the regeneration area sites
the rest of the Borough
fronting Back Water Channel between
the lifting and twin sails bridges
2,000 on Town Centre Area Action
350–700 in the Town Centre North
Plan sites
area
1,450 in the rest of the town centre
6,000 in appropriate locations across
the rest of the Borough
Sources: Adopted Bournemouth Borough Core Strategy October 2012 and Borough of Poole Adopted Core
Strategy February 2009
Of particular importance to drawing the strategy together for facilities will be
the area specific quanta of development identified above. Knowing that there
will be a focus for development in the town centre in Bournemouth and on the
regeneration sites and in the town centre north area in Poole will help to
identify where the impact of growth is most likely to be felt.
Implications of growth
The single biggest area of population increase will be in and around the
regeneration sites in Poole. There is already an existing deficit in provision of
openly accessible wheel parks in the area which will be further exaggerated
with around 1,850 new dwellings being developed.
Existing plans and programmes
The Literature and Strategic Review of plans and programmes currently
operational in Bournemouth and Poole has identified the following projects
which will need to be considered alongside recent evidence gathered on
23
provision to help determine the strategic approach to fill gaps in provision in
the period to 2026.
24
Figure 8: Projects which relate to future strategic provision of cricket pitches in Bournemouth and Poole
Progress
Project / proposal
Source Document
Not started
New
skate
facilities
Bournemouth
Develop further teen zones.
Playground
Strategy, 2009
planned
for
Horseshoe
Common,
Duck
Lane
and
Townsend.
Harbourside
Park
Underway /
ongoing
Does it remain a
priority? *
Complete
MUGAs
developed at
Redhill,
Boscombe
Chine, Moore
Ave
and
Townsend.
landscape
enhancements, improve pavilion, youth
Poole Infrastructure
hub, skate facility, sports equipment
Programme, 2011
Yes
and event infrastructure
Develop Skate Parks and BMX Tracks.
Northern Poole currently deficient and
Baiter Skate Park facility deficient in
provision and needs replacing with
Poole Infrastructure
Yes
Programme, 2011
concrete bowl.
25
We understand that there are plans for Bournemouth Borough Council to
replace the ramp at the Duck Lane site, refurbish it and relocate it to
Swansbury Drive (Townsend) where it will complement an existing BMX pump
track and half pipe used by skateboards and BMXs.
The site will then be
developed as a new concrete skate bowl.
Scale of Provision
The scale of provision of additional new parks will be often be determined by
the site available, given other considerations, rather than a desired size and
design of facility. However, there are a number of factors to be aware of in
identifying suitable scale of additional facilities. These include the following:
 It is important to establish a network of different sizes and designs of
facility as far as possible within the existing location and scales of facilities.
A large park with a number of medium sized ‘satellite’ parks is a good
principle to follow.
Small and mini parks would be used to supplement
provision rather than fill significant gaps in provision;
 An estimate of capital cost for development of a large ‘hub’ concrete wheel
park (800 – 900 sqm) is around £200,000 - £300,000 and a medium sized
(300 – 500 sqm) ‘satellite’ concrete wheel park is around £100,000. As a
rule of thumb a 10m x 30m wheel park could accommodate around 50
people with 5 users at any one time;
 As ‘ringmaster’, the local authority should work closely with the local
young community and any nearby residents to ascertain appropriate scale,
design and location of facilities. Many young communities will be prepared
to put significant time and effort into designing a wheel park to meet their
needs but may need support in managing the task, process and delivery;
 Consider that smaller facilities may generate a desire for a ‘phase 2’ to
improve them within a short timescale of being built, so it is important to
consider appropriate scale for the long-term from the outset;
26
 Some local communities may only need seed-corn funding, professional
advice (for example on things like planning matters) and political support
from the local authority to help achieve their goal of a new small or
medium sized wheel park.
27
Conclusions
Wheel parks provide a free to access facility for use predominantly by young
people who use BMXs and skateboards. They can also offer use to scooters,
although there is some known conflict between users of BMX / skateboards
with scooters largely due to the different age groups involved and speed of
use of ramps.
As well as performing a functional role, they can provide a
social hub for young people just wanting to ‘hang out’, although the
sometimes territorial nature of youth can mean that some wheel parks will be
‘off-limits’ to some young people.
Designed well and with the right materials and appropriate initial upfront
investment they can also prove to be long-lasting and attractive additions to
the urban landscape with minimal ongoing maintenance costs.
For example,
concrete parks are more durable and less noisy than metal ramps and can be
designed in a sculptural / artistic way contributing positively to the urban
environment.
At some existing wheel parks, improvements have been identified as
necessary through an audit of quality and consultation. In addition, there are
known gaps in provision of wheel parks across both Boroughs which should be
addressed during the strategy period to 2026.
There will also likely be
demands placed upon facility provision in response to an increasing population
and of an increasing proportion of the population being comprised of young
age groups.
The successful provision of wheel parks hinges on the involvement of the local
community to ensure that they are well-placed and have the right design for
the needs of users and in all cases where refurbished or new additional parks
are proposed, local authority managed but community led involvement is key.
28
Bournemouth and Poole
Bournemouth and Poole and reasonably well-served by wheel park facilities by
number.
However, the size and quality of some facilities means that
improvements will be needed to some during the lifetime of the strategy and
that gaps in provision should be filled if viable to do so in the short-term (i.e.
having sufficient capital to develop them) and the longer-term (i.e. that they
are sustainable into the future with sufficient maintenance funds). A network
of small, medium and large facilities should be provided to cater for a range of
skills and ages and types of interest. In summary, the approach to provision
in Bournemouth and Poole should be:
 Maintain existing good facilities;
 Enhance facilities which are in a poor condition;
 Where a facility is unavoidably ‘lost’, ensure adequate replacement of the
facility or rationalisation (without reducing it capacity) at a location within
its catchment area;
 Within
this
context,
continue
with
current
plans
for
scheduled
improvements to existing facilities and provision of new facilities;
 When considering additional (new or replacement) provision within the
areas of search identified below:
 ensure that capital funds are in place to deliver the facility;
 ensure that sufficient funds are in place to maintain the facility into the
future;
 ensure that noise levels are not disruptive to neighbours;
 deliver durable concrete facilities (which are also quieter than metal or
wooden ramps);
 seek to locate them where ‘hubs’ of facilities such as play facilities and
MUGAs already exist or are planned to be located, if possible;
 seek to locate them in accessible places are in locations where the
catchment of young people likely to use them do not have significant
physical barriers to access them (for example a main ‘A’ road which is
difficult to cross safely within line of sight of the facility);
29
 consult in depth with young people who live locally to ensure that
provision meets their needs;
 consult with local residents within a reasonable radius of the proposed
facility (for example, 100m-200m).
 Prioritise delivery on the basis of ‘best fit’ in satisfying as many of the
following conditions as apply:
 absence of any provision (including wheel parks, MUGAs or BMX tracks)
for young people in the vicinity or catchment identified for wheel parks;
 absence of provision of wheel parks in the vicinity or catchment
identified for wheel parks;
 areas with poor IMD score (i.e. areas with higher levels of deprivation);
 higher population densities;
 site availability;
 opportunity
to
deliver
in
conjunction
with
other
scheduled
improvements on the site / location;
 pressures from population growth / housing development; and,
 satisfactory consideration of the above criteria under ‘When making
additional (new or replacement) provision”.
Bournemouth
In Bournemouth, within the context of the above recommendations for
Bournemouth and Poole, the key issues for the strategy are:
 Ensure that the quality of facilities is improved as necessary at the
following facilities (or at a site within its catchment if replacement is
required):
 Slades Farm;
 King’s Park;
 Duck Lane / Poole Lane; and,
 Redhill Park.
 Subject to locally demonstrable demand, viability of provision and
maintenance of facilities in the future, consider making provision in the
30
following areas of search at the appropriate scale so that there is coverage
of provision within walking distance where medium and large facilities have
a
coverage
area
or
catchment
of
20
minutes
walking
distance
(approximately one mile) and where small facilities have a 10 minute
walking catchment:
 East Southbourne / Tuckton;
 West Southbourne;
 Throop / Muscliff;
 Charminster / Moordown;
 Strouden;
 Boscombe East;
 Queen’s Park – Winton Recreation Ground;
 Meyrick Park / Talbot Woods;
 Westbourne and Westcliff; and,
 Central Bournemouth (if the proposals for a wheel park at Horseshoe
Common are delivered, there may be no further need to find a site in
central Bournemouth).
Poole
In Poole, within the context of the above recommendations for Bournemouth
and Poole, the key issues for the strategy are:
 Ensure that the quality of facilities is improved as necessary at the
following facilities (or at a site within its catchment if replacement is
required):
 Fleetsbridge; and,
 Harbourside Park (Baiter).
 Subject to locally demonstrable demand, viability of provision and
maintenance of facilities in the future, consider making provision in the
following areas of search at the appropriate scale so that there is coverage
of provision within walking distance where medium and large facilities have
a
coverage
area
or
catchment
31
of
20
minutes
walking
distance
(approximately one mile) and where small facilities have a 10 minute
walking catchment:
 Branksome Park;
 Branksome East;
 Parkstone;
 Canford Cliffs;
 Hamworthy / Turlin Moor;
 Longfleet;
 Creekmoor;
 Broadstone; and,
 Merley.
32
Watersports
The Bournemouth and Poole coastlines are used extensively for watersports.
Bournemouth lends itself to informal and beach based watersports while Poole
sees more activity around harbour based watersports.
Both Bournemouth
Borough Council and the Borough of Poole have done significant work in
identifying a vision and plans for the future of their respective seafront areas.
This assessment therefore focuses on supplementing that work where possible
and building upon the consultation done for both the Bournemouth Seafront
Vision and Masterplan and the Sustaining Poole Seafront Draft Development
Plan Document, rather than seeking to challenge the work that has been done
to date. In Poole, while the aforementioned work only covers the seafront, a
recent study (the Poole Harbour VALMER Project) has provided a useful
insight into watersports activities in Poole Harbour.
The assessment used the same basis and approach as that used for the built
facilities assessment, including an audit of existing built land-side facilities
undertaken by the local authorities, surveys sent out to clubs and key
individuals in the area and seeking the views and priorities of key
stakeholders such as the national sports governing bodies (NGBs).
Despite
reminders sent out to clubs and NGBs, the response remained lower than
hoped for with one NGB responding and 15 surveys returned.
Defining watersports
For the purposes of this assessment, the ‘informal watersports’ considered
include surfing, windsurfing, kite surfing, SUP (stand-up paddle surfing),
bodyboarding,
open
water
swimming,
wake
boarding
Lifeguard stations are also included in the assessment.
and
parasailing.
The focus for
assessment is to explore the supporting infrastructure needed for these sports
to be maintained at current levels of participation and improve the quality and
number of facilities to ensure that sports grow.
It is also these supporting
facilities, land-side, over which the local authorities can have an influence and
help enable future provision.
Essentially therefore, the focus is on toilets,
changing and shower facilities and slipways. Coastal / water based outdoor
33
activity centres are also included in this assessment, although club based
facilities such as yacht clubs are considered in a later section of this report.
The other sports considered have been those which are traditionally or more
likely to be club based, which in Bournemouth and Poole, are sailing, canoeing
and kayaking and sea rowing. For the purposes of the assessment, these are
loosely termed as ‘formal watersports’. For these sports, the focus has been
on assessing demands and need for improvement at built club bases or
facilities which are not currently in private ownership (i.e. those over which
the local authority and its partners can have the most influence and support in
provision).
Current supply and quantity of existing provision
Figure 9 lists existing supporting infrastructure with community access for
informal watersports.
Figure 9: supporting publicly owned infrastructure in Bournemouth
and Poole
Type of
Location
supporting
Opening hours
infrastructure
Bournemouth
Hengistbury Head Outdoor
Centre
Slipway, showers,
Open when the centre is
changing and
open and for use by users
toilets
of the centre only
Toilets and showers
Boscombe Overstrand
with limited open
changing (no
8am – 6pm (approx.)
cubicles)
Poole
Hamworthy Public Slipway
Slipway
na
34
Type of
Location
supporting
Opening hours
infrastructure
Hamworthy Outdoor
Changing, toilets,
Recreation Centre
showers (indoors)
Whitley Lake car
Open when the centre is
open and for use by users
of the centre only
Showers
8am – 4pm (approx.)
Slipway
na
Lake Pier
Showers
8am – 4pm (approx.)
Branksome Dene Chine
Showers and toilets
9am – 3pm (approx.)
park/showers
Harbourside (Baiter)
Slipway
Location of facilities and catchments
Given the nature of informal watersports, people who participate could launch
at many places to do their sport.
Some watersports are restricted by the
need for ramps to aid launch, and others are not. There are some restrictions
placed on launching in some areas and launching for some sports will depend,
to an extent on wind and tidal conditions, which may dictate where they
launch from.
As access to watersports is coastal, there are no defined local catchment
areas for informal waterports.
Most people will travel by car to access
informal watersport opportunities due to the need to transport craft and
equipment needed like boards and boats. Use of particular stretches of coast
can attract sub-regional and regional participants and favourite locations will
see people return and so catchments are most likely to be wide and not
restricted to the conurbation only.
For supporting infrastructure, slipways will not have catchments defined
locally, again due to the nature of the sports they support. Infrastructure and
facilities such as showers and changing facilities are likely to have a very local
35
catchment within which people will access them and it is reasonable to expect
existing
facilities
to
have
a
5
minute
maximum
walking
catchment
(approximately 0.25 miles). However, new facilities should not be planned on
the basis of having one every ten minutes walking distance, or 0.5 miles.
Rather, it is more practical to ensure high quality provision at accessible ‘hub’
locations where those doing informal watersports will go to and use as a base
for their informal watersport activity. Suitable locations will include where a
focus of informal watersports already exists, for example, around a location
used by a club or where the majority of particpants will go.
Figures 11 to 16 are reproduced from the iCoast website (www.icoast.co.uk),
with permission from the Dorset Coast Forum. iCoast provides an accessible,
interactive map and information on 26 different activities taking place along
the Dorset coast from windsurfing and sea kayaking to fossil hunting.
The
figures show the location of clubs, facilities and areas where various informal
and formal watersports can be experienced in Bournemouth and Poole.
36
Figure 11: Kite surfing, paragliding, kayaking, stand-up paddle surfing, surfing, swimming, wake boarding / water
skiing and windsurfing locations and clubs in Bournemouth
Source: iCoast (www.icoast.co.uk). Image reproduced by kind permission of Dorset Coast Forum.
Notes: turquoise symbols are club locations. Sports identified are those where the symbol is raised on the picture’s key along the bottom edge. The sports
selected to be shown are, left to right along the bar in the picture, kitesurfing, paragliding, kayak / canoe, SUP, surfing, swimming, water-skiing /
wakeboarding and windsurfing. The purple line identifies kayaking areas. Purple shaded areas are windsurfing areas.
denotes a slipway.
37
Figure 12: Kite surfing, paragliding, kayaking, stand-up paddle surfing, surfing, swimming, wake boarding / water
skiing and windsurfing locations and clubs in Poole
Source: iCoast (www.icoast.co.uk). Image reproduced by kind permission of Dorset Coast Forum.
Notes: turquoise symbols are club locations. Sports identified are those where the symbol is raised on the picture’s key along the bottom edge. The sports
selected to be shown are, left to right along the bar in the picture, kitesurfing, paragliding, kayak / canoe, SUP, surfing, swimming, water-skiing /
wakeboarding and windsurfing. The purple line identifies kayaking areas. Purple shaded areas are windsurfing areas.
denotes a slipway.
38
Figure 13: Yacht, sailing, gig racing and rowing locations and clubs in Bournemouth and Poole
Source: iCoast (www.icoast.co.uk). Image reproduced by kind permission of Dorset Coast Forum.
Notes: turquoise symbols are club locations. Sports identified are those where the symbol is raised on the picture’s key along the bottom edge. The sports
selected to be shown are, left to right along the bar in the picture, kitesurfing, paragliding, kayak / canoe, SUP, surfing, swimming, water-skiing /
wakeboarding and windsurfing. The purple line identifies kayaking areas. Purple shaded areas are windsurfing areas.
denotes a slipway.
39
Figure 14: Lifeguard stations across Bournemouth and Poole
Source: iCoast (www.icoast.co.uk). Image reproduced by kind permission of Dorset Coast Forum.
Notes: turquoise symbols are club locations. Sports identified are those where the symbol is raised on the picture’s key along the bottom edge. The sports
selected to be shown are, left to right along the bar in the picture, kitesurfing, paragliding, kayak / canoe, SUP, surfing, swimming, water-skiing /
wakeboarding and windsurfing. The purple line identifies kayaking areas. Purple shaded areas are windsurfing areas.
denotes a slipway.
40
Figure 15: Public conveniences on the Bournemouth coastline
Source: iCoast (www.icoast.co.uk). Image reproduced by kind permission of Dorset Coast Forum.
.
41
Figure 16: Public conveniences on the Poole coastline
Source: iCoast (www.icoast.co.uk). Image reproduced by kind permission of Dorset Coast Forum.
.
42
Watersport Clubs in Bournemouth and Poole
The following list of watersports clubs in Bournemouth and Poole (compiled
using local authority officers’ and Active Dorset’s knowledge and iCoast
website data (www.icoast.co.uk) were contacted to respond to a survey about
watersports.
The list represents the majority of watersports clubs active in
the area.
Figure 17: Watersport Clubs in Bournemouth and Poole
Bournemouth
Wessex Surf Club, Southbourne
Bournemouth Spartans Winter Sea Swimming Club
Boscombe Boardriders
Southbourne Kitesurfing club
RLSS Boscombe
Bournemouth Lifeguard Corps
Southbourne Surf Lifesaving Club
Poole
Bournemouth & Poole Kitesurf Club
Bay Standup Paddleboard Club
Poole Windsurfing Club
Poole Slalom Windsurfing Club
East Dorset Open Swimming Club
Branksome Chine Surf Life Saving Club
RLSS Poole Lifeguards Club
Rockley Sports
Poole Yacht Club
43
Poole
Parkstone Yacht Club
East Dorset Sailing Club
Lilliput Sailing Club
Royal Motor Yacht Club
Poole Sailability
North Haven Yacht Club
RNLI Boat and Sailing Club
Poole Harbour Canoe club
Poole Amateur Rowing Club
Easyriders (kitesurfing, SUP, wakeboarding, etc.)
Quality and accessibility of existing provision
The main source of information about the quality of watersport facilities has
come from the audit, survey returns from clubs and discussion with other key
interested parties. The key issues, which focus on where improvements could
be made, are summarised below. The absence of comments on quality means
that quality has been rated as ‘good’ or ‘very good’. The table also identifies
levels of community use where appropriate.
Findings from the audit and consultation
Bournemouth
Key issues raised
Levels of community
use
Changing and showers
There are limited changing
Boscombe
facilities, although it is all
Overstrand
open plan with no cubicles or
male / female areas.
44
na
Bournemouth
Key issues raised
Levels of community
use
Clubs and other bases
It is understood from
discussion with local
authority officers that the
Hengistbury Head
centre is in need of some
Outdoor Centre
refurbishment.
The slipway is identified as
being in ‘adequate’ condition
by the audit.
Poole
Key issues raised
Levels of community
use
Slipways
The slipway has been
Hamworthy Public
identified as being in ‘poor’
Slipway
condition overall, with loose
na
tarmac and no railings.
Harbourside
(Baiter) Slipway
The audit suggests that it is
in a remote location with no
na
adjacent facilities.
Changing and showers
Whitley Lake car
park/showers
The facility has been audited
as being in ‘adequate’
na
condition overall.
The facility has been audited
as being in ‘adequate’
Lake Pier
condition overall.
na
The facilities are likely to be
replaced with the Poole
45
Poole
Key issues raised
Levels of community
use
Harbour Canoe Club having
secured planning permission
for a new clubhouse facility
and public toilets.
Branksome Dene
Chine
The facility has been audited
as being in ‘adequate’
na
condition overall.
Clubs and other bases
Hamworthy
100% programmed
Outdoor
activity, pay and play and
Recreation Centre
block bookings.
Poole Canoe Club
East Dorset Sailing
Club
The audit has identified that
Members only. Mixture of
the club has insufficient
block bookings and pay
storage available.
and play.
The audit has identified that
the club has insufficient
storage available.
Members only. 100%
programmed activity, pay
and play and block
bookings
Royal Motor Yacht
Members only. No
Club
community use.
The audit has identified that
the club has insufficient
Rockley
Watersports
Training
storage available at Poole
Park.
The club has also suggested
that there is a need for
increased accommodation at
20 – 30 hours per week
community use. 100%
programmed activity, pay
and play and block
bookings
Rockley point.
Members only. 100%
Poole Yacht Club
programmed activity, pay
46
Poole
Key issues raised
Levels of community
use
and play and block
bookings
Parkstone Yacht
Members only. No
Club
community use.
Members only. 100%
Lilliput Sailing
programmed activity, pay
Club
and play and block
bookings
Branksome Chine Surf Life
Saving Club currently shares
use of the facility with the
beach wardens and cleaning
staff. The club has
suggested that the facility is
not suitable for the mixeduse and the building is in a
poor state of repair. There
Branksome Chine
are no separate changing
Beach Warden
rooms and the club has
Office
suggested that the quality of
na
the facilities limits their
capacity to grow. The club
does not get an income to
be able to raise funds easily
for new premises. There is
no space on site to store a
boat and the club uses a
container for storage located
on Beach Road.
From other sources of information, the following additional key comments
have been identified:
47
 Rockley Watersports has identified that water quality and improved weed
prevention is needed in Poole Park Lake;
 Watersports businesses which replied to the survey sent out have
suggested that improved secure areas for belongings, better storage areas
for equipment, better and more accessible information about where to go
to do watersports and an improved offer of refreshments would help to
improve the overall quality of experience for those doing watersports.
Comments were also made about the need for cubicle changing facilities
and enclosed warm shower facilities to support growth in watersports.
Current demand and capacity of existing provision
Estimating demand for most watersports, given their informal nature, is very
difficult to achieve. However, there is some data available which can help to
set out a broad understanding of demand for watersports, which can be
supplemented by responses received to consultation.
Market Segmentation
The market segmentation tool provided by Sport England online, takes data
gathered through the Active People Survey and sets out, for sports and local
authority areas, the picture of demand and also for latent demand (i.e. as
estimation of those people who would like play the sport but currently do not
do so).
The figures include those over the age of 16 and are based on
resident participation only. They therefore mask demand from people coming
to Bournemouth and Poole from outside the Boroughs, which, for coastal
watersports is likely to be fairly high, particularly from day visitors but also
from watersport breaks or tourism (particularly over long weekends).
For watersports, market segmentation data is categorised and available for
canoeing and kayaking (which will include some freshwater demand), sailing
and ‘other watersports’ (which excludes the other two). The agglomeration of
data for other watersports is also therefore limited in use for individual
activities but is useful when exploring potential demand from residents over
48
16 for use of supporting infrastructure.
The market segmentation data
provides a ‘direction of travel’ and useful indicator of demand, but should not
be used in isolation.
The sections which follow summarise the data.
In Bournemouth, 518 people currently participate in canoeing and kayaking,
600 participate in sailing and 567 participate in other watersports. In Poole,
417 people currently participate in canoeing and kayaking, 528 participate in
sailing and 472 participate in other watersports.
For each of these
categories, for both Bournemouth and Poole, the figures represent less than
1% of the resident population.
The segments of population types which participate in these sports the most
are identified below.
49
Figure 18: Top 3 segments of population which participate in watersports the most (number and % of total
residents participating) in Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Segment
Tim
Philip
Ben
Jamie
Sailing
Summary
Settling Down Males: Sporty male professionals, buying a
house and settling down with partner
Comfortable Mid-Life Males: Mid-life professional, sporty males
with older children and more time for themselves
Canoe & Kayak
%
Population
%
Population
%
117
19.5
103
19.9
140
24.7
94
15.7
74
14.3
68
12.0
80
14.1
‘work-hard, play-hard’ attitude
Sports Team Lads: Young blokes enjoying football, pints and
91
pool
Early Retirement Couples: Free-time couples nearing the end
Joy
of their careers
Source: Sport England Market Segmentation Tool, 2013
50
watersports
Population
Competitive Male Urbanites: Male, recent graduates, with a
Roger &
Other
80
13.3
17.6
Figure 19: Top 3 segments of population which participate in watersports the most (number and % of total
residents participating) in Poole
Poole
Segment
Tim
Philip
Ben
Sailing
Summary
Settling Down Males: Sporty male professionals, buying a
house and settling down with partner
Comfortable Mid-Life Males: Mid-life professional, sporty males
with older children and more time for themselves
Canoe & Kayak
%
Population
%
Population
%
105
19.9
93
22.3
126
26.7
100
18.9
78
18.7
72
15.3
49
11.8
72
15.3
‘work-hard, play-hard’ attitude
Early Retirement Couples: Free-time couples nearing the
Joy
end of their careers
Source: Sport England Market Segmentation Tool, 2013
51
watersports
Population
Competitive Male Urbanites: Male, recent graduates, with a
Roger &
Other
77
14.6
VALMER Project
The VALMER Project 3 aims to evaluate how effective marine ecosystem service
valuation (e.g. monetary values of recreation in Poole Harbour) can contribute
to enhanced marine planning and management in the Western Channel.
Surveys issued between March and August 2013 have collected invaluable
data about demand and use by 6 activities in Poole Harbour, 5 of which are
watersports, kayak / canoeing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, jet skiing and water
skiing.
132 responses were received from kayak / canoers, 104 from
kitesurfers, 83 from windsurfers and 79 from jet and waterskiers.
The results provide information on: demographics, launch sites around the
harbour, where kayakers go in the harbour, how far people have travelled
from, travel cost and local spend, recreational users’ opinions on management
of their activity in the harbour, factors influencing people's decisions to return
to the harbour to do their activity and assessment of people's environmental
attitudes.
The project provides useful data about aspects of watersports outside the
remit of this study and therefore this assessment will need to be considered
alongside the VALMER work to get a rounded picture of demands and needs
for watersports in the harbour.
Some of the key summary information of
relevance to this assessment and which can help to understand levels of
demand suggests the following 4:
 kitesurfers and windsurfers mainly use Whitley Lake to launch;
 15 comments were received from the of the 105 kitesurf respondents
suggested that improved signage of launching areas and landing sites is
needed at Whitley Lake and Poole Harbour and that a map of the
3
VALMER is an eleven partner, €4.7 million project co-funded by the INTERREG IV A Channel
programme through the European Regional Development Fund, which aims to examine how
improved marine ecosystem services assessment can support effective and informed marine
management and planning. The Poole Harbour case study is investigating the monetary and
non-monetary benefits derived from the cultural marine ecosystem service of recreation. More
specifically, collecting primary data in the form of questionnaires with people actively taking
part in six recreational activities within the harbour that use the marine environment;
kitesurfing, windsurfing, birdwatching, canoeing/kayaking, jetskiing and
waterskiing/wakeboarding. Results from this study will be made publically available by March
2013 via the Dorset Coast Forum website www.dorsetforyou.com/valmer.
4
Data from: A. Brocklesby, J, Feaver and T, Hooper
52
kitesurfing area is needed.
12 comments suggested a need to improve
facilities, for example showers and changing facilities close to parking and
fresh water tap for rinsing kit;
 jetskiiers mainly used Baiter Park slipway to launch;
 waterskiiers used 9 different sites to launch;
 kayakers mainly used Lake Pier to launch but also used 14 other launch
sites;
 42% of the 132 kayak / canoe respondents suggested that changes are
needed to the way their sport is managed. 11 comments reflected a need
for better access points (particularly in the south) and 8% wanting better
information about landing points, canoe trails, where to see wildlife etc.).
10 comments wanted to see improvements to facilities (which could be
accommodated by changes being sought for improvements at the Poole
Harbour Canoe Club site) and 6 comments wanted more or improved
launching sites (at Frome, Holes Bay and the south side as well as a seal
launch at lake Pier);
 10 comments were received from 105 responses from windsurfers wanting
improved facilities such as showers, toilets and refreshments, largely
relating to the Shore Road area, and 7 comments related to a need for a
rigging area;
 most watersport respondents suggested that there is a need to improve
parking, with common issues such as cost and permit opportunities for
watersports being raised (8% to 15% of respondents for each type of
watersport raised parking as an issue);
 the majority of people were doing the activity in a group, with an average
group size between 3- 10 (dependent on the activity);
 72% of kitesurfers and 70% of jetskiiers thought there could be
improvements to how their activities were managed;
 increased industrial or recreational use of the harbour, decreased water
quality and flooding of the harbour would decrease the frequency of return
visits for people doing these activities; and,
 people travelled from all over the South (between Lyme Regis to Hastings,
Bristol to London and as far north as Sheffield).
53
Facility specific demand and capacity issues
The main issues identified by the audit and consultation relating to demand
for facilities are summarised below:
 The audit has suggested that Harbourside (Baiter) Slipway is a well-used
slipway.
One survey response from a local watersports participant
suggested a need for changing facilities at Baiter;
 The Westover Sea Rowing Club in Bournemouth now has its base at a
bowling club inland and there is therefore demand to identify a suitable
coastal base for the club if possible.
While the boats are kept at
Hengistbury Head Outdoor Centre (and they can use the changing
facilities), they have to be kept outside and therefore are open to the
elements. The club has suggested that their poor facilities and lack of a
single clubhouse base limits the club’s capacity to grow its membership
and they would like to secure a permanent base in the Hengistbury Head
or Central Beach areas.
This is a well-known demand issue and a new
base for the club is identified in the Bournemouth Seafront Vision at the
foot of the West Cliff zig-zag path (Joseph Steps);
 We understand, from lifesaving clubs, that open water swimming has
grown in levels of participation since the Olympics and Paralympics in
2012;
 It is understood that RLSS Boscombe, Branskome Chine Surf Life Saving
and Poole Lifeguards expect membership to grow in the future, with all
clubs having seen membership numbers remain steady or increase in
recent years. Branksome Chine SLSC has indicated that it has a waiting
list to join (it currently has around 140 members);
 Branksome Chine SLSC has indicated that it does not get sufficient time to
train during the winter at swimming pools in Poole.
The club currently
uses Rossmore pool. This issue limits the club’s capacity to grow as well
as the issues identified above with their base on the beach;
 The Bay Stand-up Paddleboard Club and the Easyriders SUP School have
both suggested that their membership and interest in the sport has grown
substantially in recent years and they expect it to do so in the future. The
54
Bay club has stated that Bournemouth and Poole has the largest
concentration of ‘SUP’ers’ in the country.
The club currently meets at
Branksome Chine in the summer as there are toilets there but it has no
permanent base at the moment and therefore no fixed base for storage of
equipment. The club also uses Alum, Durley and Middle Chines, East Cliff
– Boscombe Pier and Hengistbury Head and Sandbanks areas to SUP. In
the winter the club uses Christchurch slipway a lot. Locations used depend
on weather conditions with seafront being used in good weather and Poole
harbour and Christchurch river if sea conditions are poor.
approximately 75 members.
It has
Easyriders has an office in Whitecliff and
members get changed by the harbour. It is a school but will be forming a
club in 2014 with an expected 100 members and mainly uses Baiter,
Sandbanks and Poole harbour to SUP;
 Responses from watersports businesses have suggested that surfing, SUP
and kiteboarding are likely to continue to see a rise in popularity in the
future with Bournemouth and Poole being one of the best places to surf,
SUP and kiteboard on the south coast;
 Watersports businesses have suggested that while multi-watersports hubs
are a good idea, equitable access for all is important (i.e. not restricting
use to particular clubs or groups);
 Poole Harbour Canoe Club has indicated that its current poor facilities (it
uses a hut and container at Lake Pier) limits its capacity to grow (although
it has secured planning permission for replacement facilities at Ham
Common (Lake Drive) as detailed below.
Latent demand
To get an idea of the number of people who might wish to anticipate in
watersports, market segmentation data can be used. It identifies the number
of people, form Active People Survey data, who would like to participate in
watersports but currently do not do so.
The limitations of data remain as
those identified above and so provide a direction of travel rather than
absolute number and should not be used in isolation.
55
The data suggests that 141 residents over the age of 16 would like to
participate in sailing, 380 people would like to participate in canoeing and
kayaking
and
Bournemouth.
295
in
other
watersports
at
least
once
a
month
in
The data also suggests that 136 people over the age of 16
would like to participate in sailing, 316 people would like to participate in
canoeing and kayaking and 249 in other watersports at least once a month in
Poole.
Potential demand is reasonably even across Bournemouth and Poole,
with levels of less than 1% of the population expressing interest in taking up
the sport.
Considering these numbers further, it is likely that around 20%, at most,
from this latent demand will be likely to participate in the future, if issues
relating to why they are not currently participating (which may largely be
outside of the influence of providers and managers of facilities) are resolved.
This would mean that, in Poole, demand for an additional 50 people may take
part in ‘other watersports’ from the existing resident population, around 63
people will participate in canoeing and kayaking and around 27 in sailing. In
Bournemouth, the numbers would be an additional 59 people taking part in
‘other watersports’ from the existing resident population, around 76 people
will participate in canoeing and kayaking and around 28 in sailing.
Exploring the segmentation data further, the following types of people would
like to participate in watersports the most.
56
Figure 20: Top 3 segments of population who would like to participate in watersports the most (number and % of
total residents participating) in Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Segment
Tim
Philip
Ben
Jamie
Sailing
Summary
Population
Settling Down Males: Sporty male professionals, buying a
house and settling down with partner
Comfortable Mid-Life Males: Mid-life professional, sporty males
with older children and more time for themselves
Competitive Male Urbanites: Male, recent graduates, with a
‘work-hard, play-hard’ attitude
Sports Team Lads: Young blokes enjoying football, pints and
pool
Roger &
Early Retirement Couples: Free-time couples nearing the end
Joy
of their careers
Source: Sport England Market Segmentation Tool, 2013
57
Canoe & Kayak
%
Population
%
Other
watersports
Population
%
Figure 21: Top 3 segments of population who would like to participate in watersports the most (number and % of
total residents participating) in Poole
Poole
Segment
Tim
Philip
Ben
Sailing
Summary
Settling Down Males: Sporty male professionals, buying a
house and settling down with partner
Comfortable Mid-Life Males: Mid-life professional, sporty males
with older children and more time for themselves
Canoe & Kayak
%
Population
%
Population
%
29
21.3
79
25.0
59
23.7
35
25.7
58
18.4
48
19.3
40
12.7
42
16.9
‘work-hard, play-hard’ attitude
Early Retirement Couples: Free-time couples nearing the
Joy
end of their careers
Source: Sport England Market Segmentation Tool, 2013
58
watersports
Population
Competitive Male Urbanites: Male, recent graduates, with a
Roger &
Other
16
11.8
Of the residents in Bournemouth and Poole identified who would like to
participate, it is likely that most of these will actually not be able to take up
the sports. 20% is a reasonable number with which it could be assumed are
more likely to take up the sports.
Club and sport development plans
The following clubs have identified plans or a desire to change facilities in the
future:
 Branksome Chine SLSC has identified a need for a new building to house
the club at the beach along Branksome Chine. The building would need to
be purpose built but the club would be interested in being part of a water
and beach sports hub building with facilities for other sports;
 The Bay Stand-up Paddleboard Club has indicated a desire to share a
multi-watersport hub if the opportunity becomes available (possibly
sharing with a SLSC or rowing club).
The Easyriders SUP Club has also
indicated a desire to be involved in a hub facility;
 Poole Harbour Canoe Club is at an advanced stage of discussion about the
development of new facilities to host the club, and have gained planning
permission
for
a
new
base
(planning
application
reference
APP/13/01025/F) which will replace the existing public toilets and
boathouse at Lake Drive (Ham Common) car park;
 One business which replied to the survey suggested that private
businesses provide a lot of the provision for water sports which improves
the attractiveness of the area to tourists and locals.
It stated that
“Although this is to (especially) the local government's advantage, there
doesn't seem to be a co-ordinated and equitable approach to supporting
and
helping
these
businesses.
In
some
cases,
local
government
departments are responsible for most of obstacles for these businesses to
grow or even survive!” This suggests that a holistic approach working in
partnership between local government, the watersports and tourist
59
industries would help to overcome some of these obstacles and improve
communication and promotion of Bournemouth and Poole as a destination
for non-residents using the coastline.
National Sport Governing Bodies’ priorities in Bournemouth and Poole
The National Sports Governing Bodies for watersports are:
 British Canoe Union (incorporating Canoe England);
 British Rowing;
 British Water Ski and Wakeboard; and,
 Royal Yachting Association.
The key issues identified by Canoe England in Bournemouth and Poole are:
 To see Poole Harbour Canoe Club secure a permanent base in order to help
sustain and grow participation; and,
 the development of Go Canoeing Trails in Poole Harbour (including working
with the Dorset Coast Forum and VALMER project) 5.
Economic Impact of Watersports
Watersports in Bournemouth and Poole are important not just locally but also
within a wider, sub-regional or regional, context.
This is not just in the
individual or group context and their importance is not restricted to ensuring
sustainability of a single facility.
5
The Dorset Coast Forum (DCF) is one of eleven partners involved in the VALMER
project led by Plymouth University. The project aims to test different methods of
valuing marine Ecosystem Services, in order to quantify and communicate these
values (economic, social and environmental) to inform future marine management
and policy. The project is specifically looking at six coastal case study sites in the
Western English Channel area. The Dorset Coast Forum are leading on one of the case
study areas, Poole Harbour, and investigating the economic value of recreation as an
ecosystem service.
60
As a venue for watersports events, economic benefits can be gained through
the hosting of watersport based events.
For example, from the ‘Windfest’
event held in Poole in 2009, it is estimated that £72,000 was spent during the
event 6.
During the same summer, two other events were held (Beach Polo
and Beach Volleyball).
Between the events it is estimated that the total
impact on the local economy was around £468,000, with the events
supporting an equivalent of 8 full-time equivalent jobs.
Importantly, it was
estimated that an additional 1,500 visitors would return to Poole as a result of
the events.
The VALMER Project (summarised above) suggested that, in Poole, an
average spend per day across watersports activities ranged between £20 £105 (jet/waterskiers spent most, with half attributed to fuel costs). Most of
the money spent went on food and accommodation.
The importance of
ensuring that visitors doing watersports return again was also highlighted by
the research which suggested that 98% of the 400 or so respondents to the
project’s surveys said they would return to do the activity again (apart from
kitesurfers, where only 53% would).
6
Source: Bournemouth University and Borough of Poole research.
61
Projecting future demand and needs
Housing growth and population change
As the Data Profile report highlights, the population of Bournemouth and Poole
will increase significantly in the period to 2026 as Figure 22 shows.
Figure 22: Population Change Projected to 2026 by Sub-area 7
Bournemouth
Sub-area
B1
B2
B3
B4
B5
B6
Total
2011
30,130
33,610
29,560
43,240
18,620
28,300
183,460
2026
31,230
36,440
32,080
46,410
20,120
31,230
197,510
Poole
Sub-area
P1
P2
P3
P4
P5
Total
2011
23,650
34,550
33,800
25,680
30,400
148,080
2026
24,840
37,400
36,270
27,150
33,210
158,870
Source: Bournemouth Borough Council, September 2013, using POPGROUP software developed by Bradford
Council, the University of Manchester and Andelin Associates
These projections take into account allocated housing growth in the period to
2026.
In addition to knowing how population might change during the plan period to
help identify the implications for facilities, understanding where development
is likely to happen and therefore where much of the population increase is
likely to occur is important in order to understand where change might be
needed. The adopted plans for the Boroughs identify around 10,000 dwellings
Sub-areas contain the following wards: B1 - Talbot & Branksome Woods, Central, Westbourne
& West Cliff; B2 – Boscombe East, Boscombe West, East Cliff & Springbourne; B3 – Kinson
North, Kinson South, Redhill & Northbourne; B4 – Wallisdown & Winton West, Winton East,
Queen’s Park; B5 – Throop & Muscliff, Strouden Park; B6 – West Southbourne, East
Southbourne & Tuckton, Littledown & Iford; P1 – Hamworthy East, Hamworthy West, Poole
Town; P2 – Parkstone, Penn Hill, Newtown; P3 – Canford Cliffs, Branksome East, Branksome
West, Alderney; P4 – Oakdale, Canford Heath East, Canford Heath West; P5 – Creekmoor,
Broadstone, Merley & Bearwood.
7
62
to be provided in Poole between 2006 and 2026 and around 7,500 in
Bournemouth between 2011 and 2026 in the following places.
Figure 23: Housing Allocations in Bournemouth and Poole
Bournemouth
Poole
5,500 in appropriate locations across
1,850+ at the regeneration area sites
the rest of the Borough
fronting Back Water Channel between
the lifting and twin sails bridges
2,000 on Town Centre Area Action
350–700 in the Town Centre North
Plan sites
area
1,450 in the rest of the town centre
6,000 in appropriate locations across
the rest of the Borough
Sources: Adopted Bournemouth Borough Core Strategy October 2012 and Borough of Poole Adopted Core
Strategy February 2009
Of particular importance to drawing the strategy together for facilities will be
the area specific quanta of development identified above. Knowing that there
will be a focus for development in the town centre in Bournemouth and on the
regeneration sites and in the town centre north area in Poole will help to
identify where the impact of growth is most likely to be felt.
The single biggest area of population increase will be in and around the
regeneration sites in Poole.
Existing plans and programmes
The Literature and Strategic Review of plans and programmes currently
operational in Bournemouth and Poole has identified the following projects
which will need to be considered alongside recent evidence gathered on
provision to help determine the strategic approach to fill gaps in provision in
the period to 2026.
63
Figure 24: Projects which relate to future strategic provision of cricket pitches in Bournemouth and Poole
Progress
Project / proposal
Source Document
Not started
Underway
/ ongoing
Does it remain a
priority? *
Complete
Boscombe Coastal Activity Park (in relation
to sports activity includes draft proposals
for: a landmark lift building with commercial
/ catering facilities and toilets / showers; 5a-side beach football and / or volleyball
courts; dinghy park and kite and windsurfing
launch
area;
additional
beach
volleyball
courts; surf school and coastal sports hub
Draft
Seafront
Yes
Masterplan 2013
development; accessible sports zone with
boccia
and
seated
volleyball
courts;
accessible groyne leading to swimming hoist
for disabled access; national event site; and,
try-dive tank).
Development of new club based offer or
facility for sea rowing, triathlon, lifeguards,
Strategic
seafront operations, etc.
2012
For example,
and
Review,
Draft
Westover Rowing Club are currently training
Seafront
and storing equipment in Meyrick Park above
Masterplan, 2013
the bowls club. Possible new facility near to
64
Progress
Project / proposal
Source Document
Not started
Underway
/ ongoing
Does it remain a
priority? *
Complete
West Cliff / Durley Chine area. (See Figure
below for summary)
Hengistbury
Head
investment likely
Outdoor
to
Centre
be required
-
during
strategy period.
Support
Bournemouth
Strategic
Review
2012
improvements
to
Hamworthy
Outdoor Education Centre
Poole
Strategy,
Leisure
2011-
Yes
2015
Improvements to beach and visitor facilities
including refreshments, changing and toilets.
The focus for watersports being changes
Sustaining
proposed for Branksome Beach including
Seafront
new
Supplementary
watersports
changing
/
building
teaching
with
space
/
shop
/
stores.
Improvements are also propose for the
Poole’s
Draft
Yes
Planning Document,
2013
lifeguard station at Canford Cliffs Beach.
(See Figure below for summary)
65
Figure 25: Plans for improvements along Bournemouth seafront: Central Beach (West)
Proposed Westover Rowing Club
redevelopment
Source: Bournemouth Seafront Vision, 2013
66
Figure 26: Plans for improvements along Bournemouth seafront: Coastal Activity Park (West)
Source: Bournemouth Seafront Vision, 2013
67
Figure 27: Plans for improvements along Bournemouth seafront: Coastal Activity Park (East)
Proposed surf school and
coastal sports hub development
Source: Bournemouth Seafront Vision, 2013
68
Figure 28: Plans for improvements along Poole seafront
Source: Sustaining Poole’s Seafront Draft Supplementary Planning Document, 2013
69
Figure 29: Plans for improvements along Branksome Beach seafront
Source: Sustaining Poole’s Seafront Draft Supplementary Planning Document, 2013
70
Figure 30: Plans for improvements along Canford Cliffs Beach seafront (west)
Source: Sustaining Poole’s Seafront Draft Supplementary Planning Document, 2013
71
Conclusions
Watersports are clearly important to the local economy in Bournemouth and
Poole, and the coastline and Poole Harbour provide a beneficial asset for
residents and visitors alike.
Plans for seafront regeneration in both
Bournemouth and Poole are well-advanced, with a draft masterplan and draft
Supplementary Planning Document produced in Bournemouth and Poole
respectively. From evidence gathered for the assessment, there is nothing to
suggest that these plans should not be implemented and improvements to the
facilities, both for sports specifically and for wider seafront visitor use such as
toilets and accessible showers, will support growth in club based and informal
watersport participation.
Given the nature of many watersports accessing
shared areas of coastline and the needs being similar (in terms of toilets,
changing rooms, showers, refreshments and storage for equipment), the
focus in additional provision should be for multi-sports hubs as proposed in
the emerging plans.
With improvements to the infrastructure supporting watersports leading to
anticipated increases in participation and return visitors, facilities for lifesaving
clubs must also be improved given the important role they play (not only for
watersport participants but also for visitors using the beaches for summer
leisure).
No issues have been raised in Bournemouth or Poole suggesting that sailing
provision and facilities needs improving at members’ sailing and yacht clubs.
It is important to ensure that a package of support is given to the coastline
which embraces the wider visitor experience as well as providing supporting
facilities for watersport participants, an approach being embraced by the
emerging plans for the seafront in both Bournemouth and Poole. While some
consultation has identified higher priority improvements to the coastline for
visitors to Bournemouth than for watersports (largely around amenities and
72
leisure activities), improvements for the wider activities associated with the
coastline will benefit watersport participants, reflected by comments received
for this assessment highlighting the importance of supporting facilities such as
good choices of refreshments.
Bournemouth and Poole
The overall strategy approach to watersports in Bournemouth and Poole is to
improve the quality of existing facilities and provide new supporting
infrastructure to help ensure a high quality experience for participants, where
that provision serves multiple user groups and is capable of being used for
other non-sporting coastline leisure and learning activities. This should focus
on secure seafront and harbour facilities to support club development and
increase in informal participation and be located at or near to most used and
accessible parts of the coast used by watersport users. Wherever practicable
to do so, facilities should be flexibly designed to enable access by a number of
watersport users likely to be active in the area (acting as watersport ‘hubs’)
and also be accessible by non-watersports users using the area for other
leisure activities.
Suitable scale and types of commercial opportunities (for
example, refreshments and cafes, sports equipment / wear, hire of room
space, etc.) at improved facility locations should be supported in principle.
Alongside improvements to facilities, the local authorities should work across
departments (for example, Parks, Tourism, Economic Development, Planning)
and with the appropriate organisations and local businesses to ensure that the
quality of the offer is improved and delivered in a co-ordinated way and that
the offer for watersports participants is widely communicated, using existing
platforms for publicity and exploring new ways of communicating the offer.
Any improvements to facilities should be sustainable in the long-term and be
delivered within the context of the wider coast / seafront plans.
Across Bournemouth and Poole, in the medium to long-term, demand for
watersports should be closely monitored through liaison with key local clubs,
73
watersports businesses and active individuals to identify future needs for
participants beyond those identified to date.
Future provision should be
demand-led and also identified in conjunction with the relevant national sports
governing body / bodies.
Bournemouth
In Bournemouth, within the context of the above approach, the initial
priorities for watersports should be:
 To support the proposals being developed as part of the Seafront
masterplan
for
a
multi-watersports
hub
facility
and
supporting
infrastructure within the proposed Boscombe Coastal Activity Park;
 Support continual improvement to the facilities at Hengistbury Head;
 Continue to explore solutions for more suitable facilities for the Westover
Rowing Club through continuing work on the Seafront Masterplan, to
include a new ‘hub’ facility (based on accessibility to multiple watersports)
near to West Cliff / Durley Chine; and,
 Maintain the quality of existing publicly accessible slipways and monitor
their use to ensure that demand does not outstrip supply if watersport
participation grows during the strategy period.
Poole
Consultation with Councillors at Borough of Poole suggested that there may
be a lack of public access to the harbour.
However, despite some
respondents to the VALMER study requesting additional access points, on the
whole, evidence has not identified an overwhelming demand for additional
public slipways to be provided in the short-term. However, the use of public
slipways in Poole should be monitored to ensure that demand does not
outstrip the supply available during the strategy period, particularly if demand
grows substantially.
74
In Poole Harbour, the VALMER project findings (expected to be published in
full during March 2014) will need to be further scrutinised to inform
improvements and additions to provision.
However, in the short-term,
proposals such as that at the Poole Harbour Canoe Club for replacement of
existing facilities at Ham Common will improve the quality of provision if
delivered.
In Poole, within the context of the above approach and this assessment, the
initial priorities for watersports should be:
 To support the proposals being developed as part of the Sustaining Poole’s
Seafront Draft Supplementary Planning Document, for example, a multi-
watersports hub facility and supporting infrastructure at Branksome Beach
(to provide a new facility for Branksome Chine lifesaving club but also
wider use by watersports participants) and to improve or extend lifeguard
station at Canford Cliffs Beach;
 Support continual improvement to the facilities at Hamworthy Outdoor
Centre;
 Support the delivery of improvements to the supporting infrastructure for
Poole Harbour Canoe Club;
 Work with all relevant partners with an active interest in watersports in
Poole Harbour to consider the full implications of the VALMER study on
Poole Harbour (when published in full in March 2014) to introduce
additional improvements where necessary and to further inform demand
and need during the strategy period; and,
 Maintain the quality of existing publicly accessible slipways and monitor
their use to ensure that demand does not outstrip supply if watersport
participation grows during the strategy period.
75
Beach Sports
Defining beach sports
Beach sports are played predominantly over the summer months along the
seafront in Bournemouth and Poole. The exception is where teams and clubs
use
indoor
facilities,
of
which
there
is
one
for
beach
volleyball
in
Bournemouth.
Beach sport facilities included in this assessment include courts (permanent or
temporary) marked out for beach volleyball and beach soccer.
Current supply and quantity of existing provision
The audit has identified that the following locations host beach sport courts:
Bournemouth
Beach Soccer Courts (up to 4)
Beach Volleyball Courts (2)
Poole
Canford Cliffs Beach Soccer Courts (2
permanent)
Sandbanks Beach Volleyball Courts
(2-8 depending on demand / event)
LeAF Academy Indoor Beach
Volleyball Courts (5 courts / 3 for
international matches)
Provision in Bournemouth and Poole is very good, with the beaches hosting
more courts for beach soccer than elsewhere in the country and the England
beach soccer team training at the courts in Poole.
Beach volleyball is also
very well served with the indoor beach volleyball facility at the LeAF Academy
in Bournemouth.
76
Location of facilities
Figure 31 below shows the locations of beach soccer and beach volleyball
courts in Bournemouth and Poole.
beach sports.
No catchments have been identified for
They will tend to attract both resident population from the
conurbation as well as users from the wider sub-region.
77
Figure 31: Location of courts
Source: Borough of Poole
78
N.B. Map and key courtesy of Borough of Poole
79
Quality and accessibility of existing provision
All courts were audited by officers from Bournemouth Borough Council and
Borough of Poole and discussion held with the managers of the outdoor beach
courts.
Findings from the audit and surveys
The audit and surveys raised the following issues in relation to quality and
accessibility:
 Courts are swept once a week and on request at the Bournemouth courts
and not swept often at the courts in Poole. No problems with the quality of
the courts were raised through surveys or audits;
 The audit highlighted that more storage space, a better booking system
and better advertising of the courts in Bournemouth would help to improve
the quality of the offer and running of the courts;
 There are no lockers for the secure storage of belongings at any beach
court facility in Bournemouth or Poole.
storage
of
possessions
at
the
beach
The lack of lockers for secure
courts
in
Bournemouth
was
highlighted by managers of the courts;
 Better nets are needed at Canford Cliffs Beach Soccer court in Poole; and,
 The courts in Bournemouth are available to use throughout the year,
although peak time of use (as expected) is the summer.
The beach
volleyball courts in Poole are also open all year and the beach soccer
courts are open during the summer months only.
In addition to these findings, the Dorset FA has suggested that high nets
around the goals at the soccer courts in Poole would be useful as the area is
also popular with others using the beach and seafront. At peak times, nets
could reduce the likelihood of balls hitting passers-by.
80
Current demand and capacity of existing provision
Findings from audit and surveys
The main findings from surveys and the audits relating to demand and
capacity are as follows:
 From a 2011 visitor survey, around 9% of visitors (residents and nonresidents) said that they would like to see a greater range of beach and
water sport provision in Bournemouth;
 Beach soccer courts in Bournemouth are bookable and in Poole are for
open use.
For beach volleyball, the courts are for open use and are
bookable in Bournemouth and are for open use in Poole;
 Peak demand for the courts, as expected, are the summer months and
daytime at weekends. In Bournemouth, peak periods are also Wednesday
evenings on the beach soccer courts and on Tuesdays and Wednesdays on
the beach volleyball courts;
 The main use of the beach soccer courts in Bournemouth comes from
Bournemouth
University
Volleyball
Team
and
Bournemouuth
Beach
Volleyball Club as well as from casual use. The beach volleyball courts in
Poole are mainly used by informal teams, Wessex Volleyball Club, casual
users and events;
 The main use of the beach volleyball courts in Bournemouth comes from
Bournemouth University Varsity Football Team and from casual use. The
beach soccer courts in Poole are mainly used by informal teams;
 No capacity problems have been identified by the managers of the courts,
suggesting no need for additional courts;
 The Wessex Volleyball Club stated that their membership has grown in
recent years and that they expect it to grow in the future, although this
applies to the main sport of volleyball as well as beach volleyball;
 While the Wessex club has storage facilities close to the beach at
Sandbanks where they play (provided by the Borough Council), they do
not have changing or shower facilities, which they have raised as
improvements which could be made; and,
81
 The Wessex club uses the indoor facility at LeAF Academy for training and
both the courts at Sandbanks and indoor provision are sufficient for their
demand.
Economic Impact of Beachsports
Beachsports in Bournemouth and Poole are important not just locally but also
within a wider, sub-regional or regional, context.
This is not just in the
individual or group context and their importance is not restricted to ensuring
sustainability of a single facility.
As a venue for beachsports events, economic benefits can be gained through
the hosting of beachsport based events.
For example, from the Sandbanks
Beach Volleyball Festival event held in Poole in 2009, it is estimated that
£44,000 was spent during the event 8. During the same summer, two other
events were held (Beach Polo and ‘Windfest’).
Between the events it is
estimated that the total impact on the local economy was around £468,000,
with the events supporting an equivalent of 8 full-time equivalent jobs.
Importantly, it was estimated that an additional 1,500 visitors would return to
Poole as a result of the events.
In Bournemouth, research (Bournemouth Visitor Survey, 2011) has identified
that the town has an estimated 4.2 million visitors a year with 100,000
visitors a day to the seafront at weekends in good summer weather.
8
Source: Bournemouth University and Borough of Poole research.
82
Projecting future demand and needs
Housing growth and population change
As the Data Profile report highlights, the population of Bournemouth and Poole
will increase significantly in the period to 2026 as Figure 32 shows.
Figure 32: Population Change Projected to 2026 by Sub-area 9
Bournemouth
Sub-area
B1
B2
B3
B4
B5
B6
Total
2011
30,130
33,610
29,560
43,240
18,620
28,300
183,460
2026
31,230
36,440
32,080
46,410
20,120
31,230
197,510
Poole
Sub-area
P1
P2
P3
P4
P5
Total
2011
23,650
34,550
33,800
25,680
30,400
148,080
2026
24,840
37,400
36,270
27,150
33,210
158,870
Source: Bournemouth Borough Council, September 2013, using POPGROUP software developed by Bradford
Council, the University of Manchester and Andelin Associates
These projections take into account allocated housing growth in the period to
2026.
In addition to knowing how population might change during the plan period to
help identify the implications for facilities, understanding where development
is likely to happen and therefore where much of the population increase is
likely to occur is important in order to understand where change might be
needed. The adopted plans for the Boroughs identify around 10,000 dwellings
Sub-areas contain the following wards: B1 - Talbot & Branksome Woods, Central, Westbourne
& West Cliff; B2 – Boscombe East, Boscombe West, East Cliff & Springbourne; B3 – Kinson
North, Kinson South, Redhill & Northbourne; B4 – Wallisdown & Winton West, Winton East,
Queen’s Park; B5 – Throop & Muscliff, Strouden Park; B6 – West Southbourne, East
Southbourne & Tuckton, Littledown & Iford; P1 – Hamworthy East, Hamworthy West, Poole
Town; P2 – Parkstone, Penn Hill, Newtown; P3 – Canford Cliffs, Branksome East, Branksome
West, Alderney; P4 – Oakdale, Canford Heath East, Canford Heath West; P5 – Creekmoor,
Broadstone, Merley & Bearwood.
9
83
to be provided in Poole between 2006 and 2026 and around 7,500 in
Bournemouth between 2011 and 2026 in the following places.
Figure 33: Housing Allocations in Bournemouth and Poole
Bournemouth
Poole
5,500 in appropriate locations across
1,850+ at the regeneration area sites
the rest of the Borough
fronting Back Water Channel between
the lifting and twin sails bridges
2,000 on Town Centre Area Action
350–700 in the Town Centre North
Plan sites
area
1,450 in the rest of the town centre
6,000 in appropriate locations across
the rest of the Borough
Sources: Adopted Bournemouth Borough Core Strategy October 2012 and Borough of Poole Adopted Core
Strategy February 2009
Estimating future demand for beach sports
There are no available figures with which to estimate demand with any
accuracy in the future. Market segmentation data is not presented for beach
sports and so there is no base data from which to make estimates against
increasing
population.
Bournemouth and
However,
the
increases
in
population
across
Poole are likely to increase demand and planned
improvements for the seafront in both Bournemouth and Poole are likely to
generate additional demand for the use of courts.
The approach that the strategy should take, given that there is currently
surplus capacity at the existing beach courts, is to monitor their use prior to
considering additional new courts over and above those proposed in the
emerging seafront plans. If demand is demonstrated to exceed supply and
this can be quantified on the basis of consistent capacity issues over two
summers, additional courts could be provided.
84
Existing plans and programmes
The Literature and Strategic Review of plans and programmes currently
operational in Bournemouth and Poole has identified the following projects
which will need to be considered alongside recent evidence gathered on
provision to help determine the strategic approach to fill gaps in provision in
the period to 2026.
85
Figure 34: Projects which relate to future strategic provision of cricket pitches in Bournemouth and Poole
Progress
Project / proposal
Source
Document
Not
started
Does it remain
Underwa
y/
Complete
a priority? *
ongoing
Boscombe Coastal Activity Park (in relation to sports
activity includes draft proposals for: a landmark lift
building with commercial / catering facilities and toilets /
showers; 5-a-side beach football and / or volleyball
courts; dinghy park and kite and windsurfing launch
Draft
Seafront
area; additional beach volleyball courts; surf school and
Masterplan 2013
Yes
coastal sports hub development; accessible sports zone
with boccia and seated volleyball courts; accessible
groyne leading to swimming hoist for disabled access;
national event site; and, try-dive tank).
Improvements to beach and visitor facilities including
refreshments, changing and toilets. The focus for beach
sports being changes proposed for the courts at Canford
Cliffs, with both beach soccer and volleyball courts being
located there and the courts for volleyball at Sandbanks
being removed. (See figure below for summary)
Sustaining Poole’s
Seafront
Draft
Supplementary
Planning
Document, 2013
86
Yes
Figure 35: Plans for improvements along Bournemouth seafront: Coastal Activity Park (West)
Proposed 5-a-side beach soccer
and / or beach volleyball courts
Source: Bournemouth Seafront Vision, 2013
87
Figure 36: Plans for improvements along Bournemouth seafront: Coastal Activity Park (East)
Proposed beach volleyball courts
Source: Bournemouth Seafront Vision, 2013
88
Figure 37: Plans for improvements along Poole seafront
Source: Sustaining Poole’s Seafront Draft Supplementary Planning Document, 2013
89
Figure 38: Plans for improvements along Canford Cliffs Beach seafront (east)
Source: Sustaining Poole’s Seafront Draft Supplementary Planning Document, 2013
90
Conclusions
Bournemouth and Poole are fortunate to have good beach soccer and beach
volleyball facilities. As well as courts for each sport in both towns, there is a
good indoor facility for beach volleyball at the LeAF Academy in Bournemouth.
Poole has two permanent beach soccer courts which are used by England
Beach Soccer team to train and which is the only location in England with this
number of permanent courts. Plans are well-advanced for improving provision
in both Bournemouth and Poole in their respective seafront plans and there is
no new evidence which suggests any departure from proposals developed to
date.
Further shaping and confirmation of the emerging proposals should
continue through each Councils’ consultation with the community and other
key stakeholders. Support for beach sports will also be provided through the
improvement to the overall quality of facilities and the visitor experience
along the seafront areas.
Bournemouth
In Bournemouth, the key focus for the strategy should be to align with the
emerging seafront plans and responding to the findings of this assessment in
the short-term by:
 Continue to maintain the good quality of the courts;
 Consider introducing secure lockers near to courts in appropriate locations;
and,
 Seek to improve marketing and publicity for the courts to increase their
use.
91
Poole
In Poole, the key focus for the strategy should be to align with the emerging
seafront plans and responding to the findings of this assessment in the shortterm by:
 Continue to maintain the good quality of the courts;
 Consider introducing secure lockers near to courts in appropriate locations;
 Ensure that nets are in good condition at Canford Cliffs courts;
 Consider the introduction of high nets around the goals at the Canford
Cliffs courts; and,
 Seek to improve marketing and publicity for the courts to increase their
use.
92
Off-road cycling
Defining off-road cycling
For the purposes of this assessment, ‘off-road cycling’ includes cycling forms
which use facilities such as cycle tracks, BMX racing and dirt tracks and
velodromes and therefore includes cycle speedway, BMX racing and informal
dirt track BMX, track cycling and (to a degree) cyclocross and mountain biking
which could utilise these facilities in whole or in part. This section does not
consider wheel parks which can be used for freestyle BMX which are assessed
in the section on wheel parks.
Current supply and quantity of existing provision
Figure 39 lists the location of off-road cycling facilities and locations in
Bournemouth and Poole. Facilities are split into BMX and non-BMX, with the
latter comprising facilities for informal leisure cycling, cycle speedway and
outdoor velodrome racing.
Figure 39: Off-road cycling facilities
Bournemouth
Poole
BMX
Iford BMX Track (home to
Hamworthy BMX Track (Carter
Bournemouth BMX Club)
School)
Townsend BMX Track
Haskells Recreation Ground BMX
Track
Duck Lane / Ringwood Road BMX
Foreland Road / Turlin Moor
Track (‘pump’ track)
Recreation Ground BMX Track
Littledown Open Space BMX Track
Bourne Valley Nature Reserve BMX
(‘pump’ track)
Track
Queens Park BMX Track (‘pump’
track)
Harbourside Park BMX Track*
93
Non-BMX
Bournemouth Cycling Centre (250m
Poole Cycle Speedway, Harbourside
banked velodrome), Slades Farm
Park (Baiter), Catalina Drive
Winton Cycle Track, Winton
Recreation Ground (informal path
around edge of cricket pitch)
Notes:
* BMX track classified as dangerous by Play Officer
Location of Facilities and Catchment areas
The following map identifies the location of these facilities.
areas for the different types of facility are different.
The catchment
For the club based
cycling sports, the catchment is likely to be conurbation-wide and therefore
only catchments for the free-to-access BMX tracks are shown below. Freely
accessible BMX tracks which are of good quality will tend to have a catchment
of about 20 minutes riding time at around 10 mph. While this catchment area
has been applied to the map below, this does not necessarily represent a true
distance travelled to access all tracks. A track will need to be popular and of
good quality for users to regularly travel this far and this will therefore not
apply to all tracks. BMX users may use other open spaces to ride and are not
restricted to using ‘set-aside’ or formally designated tracks which may also
limit the catchments to certain tracks.
However, spatially, the map shows that there are gaps in provision in:
Poole
 Broadstone;
 Branksome / Canford Cliffs; and,
 Merley.
Bournemouth
 Muscliff / Moordown / Winton; and,
 Meyrick / Westbourne / town centre.
94
Figure 40: Location of facilities and catchments
N.B. Map and key to be added by Borough of Poole / Bournemouth Borough Council. At the time of issue of this report, no map
was made available to the consultants.
Source: Borough of Poole
95
Quality and accessibility of existing provision
The main source of information about the quality of off-road cycling facilities
has come from the audit, survey returns from clubs and discussion with other
key interested parties. The key issues, which focus on where improvements
could be made, are summarised below. The absence of comments on quality
means that quality has been rated as ‘good’ or ‘very good’.
Findings from the audit and consultation
Bournemouth
Key issues raised
BMX
Iford BMX Track
(home to
Bournemouth BMX
Club)
Duck
The audit has identified that there is a need for
improvements to the start gates and berm.
The Council has stated that it is working with the BMX
club on a bid to the ‘Inspired Facilities’ fund to make
these improvements and to develop floodlighting.
Lane
/ The track is considered by local authority officers as
Ringwood Road BMX being a very basic short ‘pump’ track in average
Track
condition.
The track is considered by local authority officers as
Littledown Open
being a basic 200m-300m ‘pump’ track in average
Space BMX Track
condition with a couple of ramps / jumps constructed
from soil.
The audit identified the overall quality of the facility as
Townsend BMX
‘adequate’ although officers have suggested that it is a
Track
low quality facility predominantly used by children very
locally.
Queens Park BMX
The track is considered by local authority officers as
Track
being a basic ‘pump’ track in average condition.
Non-BMX
Bournemouth
The Cycling Centre has stated that apart from the
96
Bournemouth
Key issues raised
Cycling Centre
track, they do not have suitable facilities as a base,
(250m banked
although there is a secure area with an administration
velodrome), Slades
office, toilets and two containers for storage. It has
Farm
indicated that there is a need to improve the toilets and
changing rooms for visiting riders, as the current old
cricket pavilion are inadequate for their needs.
The facility is accessible with no membership required
to use the track and an annual competition licence of
£10 being required for riders to compete in the Track
League (with a programme in place to ensure riders
receive appropriate training etc. to obtain the licence).
Winton Cycle Track,
Winton Recreation
The audit identified the overall quality of the facility as
Ground (informal
path around edge of
‘poor’.
cricket pitch)
Poole
Key issues raised
BMX
Hamworthy
Track
BMX
(Carter
School)
The audit identified the overall quality of the facility as
‘poor’.
Haskells Recreation The audit identified the overall quality of the facility as
‘adequate’.
Ground BMX Track
Foreland
Road
Turlin
Recreation
/
Moor The audit identified the overall quality of the facility as
Ground ‘poor’.
BMX Track
Bourne Valley
Nature Reserve BMX
Track
The audit identified the overall quality of the facility as
‘adequate’.
97
Harbourside Park
The Play Officer has highlighted that this track is
BMX Track
‘dangerous’.
Non-BMX
Poole Cycle
Speedway,
Harbourside Park
(Baiter), Catalina
Drive
Other
issues
about
quality
which
have
arisen
from
consultation
are
summarised below:
 From other sources of information, the following additional key comments
have been identified:
 Consultation with officers from Bournemouth Borough Council suggests
that more BMX events (for example national events) could be held at
the Iford track if it was of a better quality (track and facilities).
 Informal BMX tracks can play an important role in offering protection to
protected landscapes.
Making them available and maintaining them
can attract users who might otherwise seek out other areas of open
land which may be protected for landscape, habitat and / or ecological
value. A good track can also attract mountain bikers who traditionally
will use more semi-natural landscapes and which can have an impact
on the areas they use where not designated as mountain biking trails.
This is important in Bournemouth and Poole where the conurbation is
tightly bound by greenbelt and protected heathland.
Current demand and capacity of existing provision
Sport England data suggests that demand in Bournemouth and Poole for
cycling is high. It is widely known that the Olympics and Paralympics has had
a significant impact on the numbers of people taking up cycling, particularly
informally, as a way of keeping fit or through clubs to train and compete.
Data suggests (from the Active People Survey) that cycling is fourth in the top
98
5 sports played in Bournemouth with 7.7% of the population participating. In
Poole, the sport is ranked as second most popular of five with 11.7% of the
population participating, with the sport also being the second most popular
sport that people want to do the most in both towns.
Market Segmentation
The market segmentation tool provided by Sport England online, takes data
gathered through the Active People Survey and sets out, for sports and local
authority areas, the picture of demand and also for latent demand (i.e. as
estimation of those people who would like play the sport but currently do not
do so). The figures include those over the age of 16. For cycling, this covers
the following forms of cycling: BMX, cyclo-cross, mountain biking, recreational
cycling and competitive cycling, but excludes any cycling which is exclusively
for travel purposes only. It is a useful measurement for estimating demand
for cycling in Bournemouth and Poole.
In Bournemouth, 12,558 people currently participate in cycling. In Poole, the
number is 10,505.
The following maps set out the spatial picture of demand in Bournemouth and
Poole.
99
Figure 41: Participation in Cycling in Bournemouth
Source: Sport England Market Segmentation Tool, 2013
100
Figure 42: Participation in Cycling in Poole
Source: Sport England Market Segmentation Tool, 2013
101
The segments of population types which participate in cycling the most are
shown in Figure 43.
Figure 43: Segments of population which participate in cycling the
most (number and % of resident cyclists at around 6%)
Bournemouth
Segment
Tim
Summary
Population
Settling Down Males: Sporty male professionals,
buying a house and settling down with partner
%
2,375
18.9
1,713
13.6
1,129
10.8
1,356
9
829
6.6
832
6.6
Comfortable Mid-Life Males: Mid-life professional,
Philip
sporty males with older children and more time for
themselves
Ben
Jamie
Helena
Competitive Male Urbanites: Male, recent
graduates, with a ‘work-hard, play-hard’ attitude
Sports Team Lads: Young blokes enjoying football,
pints and pool
Career-Focussed Females: Single professional
women, enjoying life in the fast lane
Roger &
Early Retirement Couples: Free-time couples
Joy
nearing the end of their careers
Poole
Segment
Tim
Summary
Population
Settling Down Males: Sporty male professionals,
buying a house and settling down with partner
%
2,141
20.4
1,818
17.3
1,015
9.7
806
7.7
620
5.9
Comfortable Mid-Life Males: Mid-life professional,
Philip
sporty males with older children and more time for
themselves
Ben
Competitive Male Urbanites: Male, recent
graduates, with a ‘work-hard, play-hard’ attitude
Roger &
Early Retirement Couples: Free-time couples
Joy
nearing the end of their careers
Helena
Career-Focussed Females: Single professional
102
women, enjoying life in the fast lane
Source: Sport England Market Segmentation Tool, 2013
Facility specific demand and capacity issues
The key issues in relation to demand and capacity of cycling facilities are
identified below:
 Bournemouth Cycling Centre
The managers of the Bournemouth Cycling Centre (Bournemouth Cycling
Centre Ltd.) have stated that growth in rider numbers at the facility has
grown in recent years and is anticipated to continue to do so. The facility has
only been open for 2 years and awareness of it is still continuing to spread.
The facility is very well used. During the racing season, (April to August), the
facility is booked every weekday evening for competition and training sessions
by local clubs and other organisations. During the weekdays there are
schools and other organisations using the track. During the weekend, there is
a mixture of beginner and novice sessions, in addition to club and other
organisations. There is a weekly league competition during the racing season.
There are also a number of "open" British Cycling competition events held
through the racing season, normally at the weekends. In addition British
Cycling youth development squads also visit for coaching and competition
training.
We understand that the facility managers would like the velodrome floodlit
and covered to increase availability (capacity) of use as it is currently open
and riding is subject to weather conditions and good light. However, the site
is in a sensitive location close to woodland and nature conservation area and
so improvements such as these would need to be introduced with care. A
covering for the track would reduce the impact of floodlighting on the area,
however.
The Bournemouth Arrow Cycling Club which uses the track weekly (for
training and summer track competitions) has seen its membership grow in
recent years (currently having 120 members) and expects it to continue to do
so into the future. The club currently has sufficient time at the track for its
103
needs but anticipates that more competition time will be required at the track
as their membership grows. With regard to the quality of the facilities, the
club concurs with the facility managers that the track is very good but
supporting facilities are ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’.
The club and facility managers support the principle of a multi-sports hub
which could service the needs of cyclists using the track, at Slades Farm.
 Poole Cycle Speedway
Poole Cycle Speedway Club currently has around 200 members including nonriding officials etc. and membership has remained steady in recent years. The
club expects this level of membership to continue into the future. This
suggests that cost is not prohibitive with casual use for juniors costing £1 and
annual junior membership £30 and senior membership £60. The club uses
the facility during the season (February to October for around 2 to 3 evenings
per week and at weekends.
 From other sources of information, the following additional key comments
have been identified:
 As stated earlier in this section, consultation with officers from
Bournemouth Borough Council suggests that more BMX events could be
held at the Iford track if it was of a better quality (track and facilities).
 Demand for the use of cycling facilities can be increased if they can act
more as hubs.
signposted
Ensuring that facilities are well-connected to well-
and
advertised
cycle
routes
and
networks
across
Bournemouth and Poole will help to enable this to happen, where this is
not already the case.
 Consultation with officers from the Borough of Poole has indicated that
the cycle speedway is a ‘great facility’ and popular with children
(including road training).
 It has also indicated that there is no cycling track provision in Poole and
the velodrome in Bournemouth is often too far for young people to
travel to use it.
However, consultation with Borough of Poole
Councillors suggested that there is unlikely to be sufficient demand for
a
velodrome
facility
in
Poole
in
addition
to
the
provision
in
Bournemouth (which is central to the conurbation as a whole).
104
Demand has been suggested, however, for a BMX track in Poole which
the Bournemouth BMX Club can utilise and it is understood that the
club is keen to expand into Poole.
Latent demand
To get an idea of the number of people who might wish to anticipate in
cycling, market segmentation data can be used. It identifies the number of
people, form Active People Survey data, who would like to participate in
cycling but currently do not do so.
The data suggests that 7,273 people over the age of 16 would like to
participate in cycling at least once a month in Bournemouth and 6,018 in
Poole. Potential demand is reasonably even across Bournemouth and Poole,
with levels of 2.1 – 10% of the population expressing interest as the maps
below show.
105
Figure 44: Proportion of resident population wishing to participate in cycling but who currently do not in
Bournemouth
Source: Sport England, Market Segmentation Tool 2013
106
Figure 45: Proportion of resident population wishing to participate in cycling but who currently do not in Poole
Source: Sport England, Market Segmentation Tool 2013
107
Exploring the segmentation data further, the following types of people would
like to participate in cycling the most.
Figure 46: People who would like to participate in cycling the most in
Bournemouth and Poole (those who make up around 6% of those
interested)
Bournemouth
Segment
Tim
Summary
Population
Settling Down Males: Sporty male professionals,
buying a house and settling down with partner
%
1,283
17.6
1,064
14.6
645
8.9
515
7.1
493
6.8
475
6.5
Comfortable Mid-Life Males: Mid-life professional,
Philip
sporty males with older children and more time for
themselves
Jamie
Sports Team Lads: Young blokes enjoying football,
pints and pool
Roger &
Early Retirement Couples: Free-time couples
Joy
nearing the end of their careers
Leanne
Helena
Supportive Singles: Young busy mums and their
supportive college mates
Career-Focussed Females: Single professional
women, enjoying life in the fast lane
Poole
Segment
Tim
Summary
Population
Settling Down Males: Sporty male professionals,
buying a house and settling down with partner
%
1,156
19.2
1,129
18.8
499
8.3
Comfortable Mid-Life Males: Mid-life professional,
Philip
sporty males with older children and more time for
themselves
Roger &
Early Retirement Couples: Free-time couples
Joy
nearing the end of their careers
108
Helena
Career-Focussed Females: Single professional
women, enjoying life in the fast lane
356
5.9
Source: Sport England Market Segmentation Tool, 2013
Of the 7,273 people in Bournemouth and 6,018 in Poole which could
participate from the latent demand, it is unlikely that most of these will
actually be able to take up the sport.
British Cycling priorities in Bournemouth and Poole
British Cycling, the sport’s national governing body, has identified a number
of key issues and priorities for cycling in Bournemouth and Poole, which are
as follows:
 Bournemouth is seen as a priority area for British Cycling, although Poole
currently is not. However, the NGB is keen to explore a partnership with
the Borough of Poole.
 Seeing
interest
and
participation
grow,
with
a
focus
on
growing
participation in organised rides such as Sky Ride Local, Breeze and social
cycling groups.
 The profile of Bournemouth as a cycling destination should be raised by
holding top level events and elite racing.
 Support for Bournemouth Borough Council’s strategic aims in transport
and health to help get more people riding bikes informally and in sport.
 Raise the profile of the velodrome in Bournemouth which British Cycling
considers is under-utilised.
 An iconic route that links Bournemouth, through Poole to Purbeck in the
west and New Forest in the north east.
Projecting future demand and needs
Housing growth and population change
As the Data Profile report highlights, the population of Bournemouth and Poole
will increase significantly in the period to 2026 as Figure 47 shows.
109
Figure 47: Population Change Projected to 2026 by Sub-area 10
Bournemouth
Sub-area
B1
B2
B3
B4
B5
B6
Total
2011
30,130
33,610
29,560
43,240
18,620
28,300
183,460
2026
31,230
36,440
32,080
46,410
20,120
31,230
197,510
Poole
Sub-area
P1
P2
P3
P4
P5
Total
2011
23,650
34,550
33,800
25,680
30,400
148,080
2026
24,840
37,400
36,270
27,150
33,210
158,870
Source: Bournemouth Borough Council, September 2013, using POPGROUP software developed by Bradford
Council, the University of Manchester and Andelin Associates
These projections take into account allocated housing growth in the period to
2026.
In addition to knowing how population might change during the plan period to
help identify the implications for facilities, understanding where development
is likely to happen and therefore where much of the population increase is
likely to occur is important in order to understand where change might be
needed. The adopted plans for the Boroughs identify around 10,000 dwellings
to be provided in Poole between 2006 and 2026 and around 7,500 in
Bournemouth between 2011 and 2026 in the following places.
Sub-areas contain the following wards: B1 - Talbot & Branksome Woods, Central, Westbourne
& West Cliff; B2 – Boscombe East, Boscombe West, East Cliff & Springbourne; B3 – Kinson
North, Kinson South, Redhill & Northbourne; B4 – Wallisdown & Winton West, Winton East,
Queen’s Park; B5 – Throop & Muscliff, Strouden Park; B6 – West Southbourne, East
Southbourne & Tuckton, Littledown & Iford; P1 – Hamworthy East, Hamworthy West, Poole
Town; P2 – Parkstone, Penn Hill, Newtown; P3 – Canford Cliffs, Branksome East, Branksome
West, Alderney; P4 – Oakdale, Canford Heath East, Canford Heath West; P5 – Creekmoor,
Broadstone, Merley & Bearwood.
10
110
Figure 48: Housing Allocations in Bournemouth and Poole
Bournemouth
Poole
5,500 in appropriate locations across
1,850+ at the regeneration area sites
the rest of the Borough
fronting Back Water Channel between
the lifting and twin sails bridges
2,000 on Town Centre Area Action
350–700 in the Town Centre North
Plan sites
area
1,450 in the rest of the town centre
6,000 in appropriate locations across
the rest of the Borough
Sources: Adopted Bournemouth Borough Core Strategy October 2012 and Borough of Poole Adopted Core
Strategy February 2009
Of particular importance to drawing the strategy together for facilities will be
the area specific quanta of development identified above. Knowing that there
will be a focus for development in the town centre in Bournemouth and on the
regeneration sites and in the town centre north area in Poole will help to
identify where the impact of growth is most likely to be felt.
Participation rates
National Sports Governing Bodies have agreed targets for increasing
participation rates within their sport with Sport England for the current
funding period of 2013-17. For cycling, the target is to increase participation
from its current base by 6.4% (although this figure relates to cyclists
including those who would take-up road cycling, even if just doing it to keep
fit). If this figure is applied to existing levels of participation in Bournemouth
and Poole, this could equate to an additional 804 cyclists in Bournemouth and
672 in Poole taking up cycling.
Many of these could come from the latent
demand figure identified above.
111
Existing plans and programmes
The Literature and Strategic Review of plans and programmes currently
operational in Bournemouth and Poole has identified the following projects
which will need to be considered alongside recent evidence gathered on pitch
provision to help determine the strategic approach to fill gaps in provision in
the period to 2026.
112
Figure 49: Projects which relate to future strategic provision for off-road cycling in Bournemouth and Poole
Project / proposal
Identified
priorities
(programmed
Progress
Source
Document
year
Not
Underway /
started
ongoing
Does it
Complete
remain a
priority? *
of
improvement and H/M/L priority) relevant to Sports
Strategy:
Develop 250m cycle track (2011 - H); repair and
improve skate park (2012-14 - M); improve school
pitch drainage (2013 - H); refurbish tennis / netball
courts at Glenmoor School (2014 - H); fitness trail in
school or park (2014 – M); full size artificial turf pitch
Slades
Farm
250m
Masterplan
cycle
track
completed 2011
2012-2021
Yes
for rugby / football (2016 – M); new sports hall
(2020 - M); new girls’ changing rooms (2015 - H);
outdoor climbing wall (2014 – M); and, 1km cycling /
training circuit (2015 - M).
Bournemouth
Queens Park trails, cycle route, interpretation and
landscaping (delivery 2011-2012)
Infrastructure
To be
Delivery
complete
and
Implementatio
2013-14
n, 2011
Stour Valley Project (masterplan being developed)
Bournemouth
113
To be
Yes
Project / proposal
Progress
Source
Document
Not
Underway /
started
ongoing
Infrastructure
complete
Delivery
2013-14
and
Does it
remain a
Complete
priority? *
Implementatio
n, 2011
Poole - Hamworthy
Bournemouth
Provision of skate / BMX parks in higher density
areas is poor.
Need to improve quality of youth
facilities at: Littledown open space BMX track, Redhill
Park Skate Zone and Fleets Bridge Skatepark and
BMX track.
and
Poole
Sport
and
Recreation
Built Facilities
Strategy
Action
and
Plan,
2008
/
Carter
Sherborne Crescent
(dirt ramps)
Bournemouth
improved
2010.
Minor
improvements
track 2012.
Poole
-
to
pump
Yes,
particularly at
Turlin
Littledown o/s track
Townsend
114
School,
Park
(skate park)
Bournemouth
-
Yes
to
improve Iford
BMX track.
Conclusions
Cycling in all its forms is becoming more popular as an informal activity and
sport in on and off road disciplines.
As well as sporting and competitive
riding, using a bike can positively contribute to general fitness and keeping fit
and active and therefore has a cross-over to health and transport issues as
well as sport. While the assessment has predominantly considered facilities
for cycling, these must not be treated in isolation when considering strategy
options.
Opportunities should be taken to ensure that cycling facilities are
well-linked to existing and future cycle routes across Bournemouth and Poole
and are integrated within the planning of the cycling network across the
conurbation. While outside the remit of this assessment, where opportunities
arise, sport tourism should be embraced both at the informal leisure level and
at the competitive and spectator level by attracting elite cycling competition
to the area.
Both Bournemouth and Poole are fortunate to have some very good facilities
for cycling: Bournemouth with the BMX racing track at Iford and the outdoor
velodrome at Slades Farm (which is a good central location to serve the
conurbation as a whole) and in Poole with the Cycle Speedway facility.
In
addition both have informal access BMX dirt tracks with 2 in Bournemouth and
5 in Poole, which are important not just to young people (in that they provide
a very different riding experience to freestyle BMX facilities shared with
skateboards at wheel parks), but perform an important role in offering a setaside area for BMX riding which can take pressure away from other green
spaces and semi-natural areas of land which may have landscape, habitat,
ecological or other environmental protection and which may otherwise be at
greater risk from BMXs (and mountain bikes) if the ‘formally designated’
tracks were not there.
115
Bournemouth and Poole
The strategy in Bournemouth and Poole should be to:
 Seek to ensure that existing provision is maintained and enhanced where
improvements are necessary. This means supporting, in principle and in
partnership, improvements to informal BMX tracks and also improvements
to formal cycling facilities. Growth in the use of formal facilities should be
supported
by
helping
clubs
and
facilities
to
grow
membership where necessary to maximise their use.
patronage
and
For informal use
BMX tracks it also means that, although demand is difficult to quantify with
accuracy, recognising the important role that they can and should play as
a facility for young people but also as a way to help prevent damage to the
local protected landscape and environment;
 Seek to fill gaps in provision where necessary and viable to do so in the
short term (in terms of initial capital required) and in the long-term (i.e.
ensuring that maintenance can be sustained into the future).
Potential
should be explored further, locally, and action taken to deliver additional
BMX tracks if demand is demonstrated and they are deliverable;
 Where a facility is unavoidably ‘lost’, ensure adequate replacement of the
facility or rationalisation (without reducing it capacity) at a location within
its catchment area;
 Within
this
context,
continue
with
current
plans
for
scheduled
improvements to existing facilities and provision of new facilities;
 When considering additional (new or replacement) provision of informal
(non-club based) cycling facilities or BMX tracks:
 ensure that capital funds are in place to deliver the facility;
 ensure that sufficient funds are in place to maintain the facility into the
future;
 ensure that noise levels are not disruptive to neighbours;
 seek to locate them where ‘hubs’ of facilities such as wheel parks and
MUGAs already exist or are planned to be located, if possible;
 seek to locate them in accessible places are in locations where the
catchment of young people likely to use them do not have significant
116
physical barriers to access them (for example a main ‘A’ road which is
difficult to cross safely within line of sight of the facility);
 consult in depth with young people who live locally to ensure that
provision meets their needs; and,
 consult with local residents within a reasonable radius of the proposed
facility (for example, 100m-200m).
 Monitor changes to demand in off-road cycling by keeping regular contact
with facility management and local clubs to enable demand-led additional
provision to be made as necessary for ‘formal’ cycling facilities.
Bournemouth
Within this context, in Bournemouth, the strategy’s focus should be to:
 Improve the quality of the Townsend BMX track and Winton Cycle track;
 Continue to work with the Bournemouth BMX Club to secure and deliver
required improvements to the Iford BMX track;
 Continue to work with the Bournemouth Cycling Centre to make
improvements to the supporting facilities on site and to increase capacity
of the track (through introducing a covering structure over the track and
floodlighting if possible) as part of the Slades Farm masterplan; and,
 Should demand be demonstrated ‘on the ground’ and short term (capital
investment) and long term (maintenance) viability be secured consider
provision for up to 2 additional informal BMX tracks in areas outside of the
existing catchments of provision of freely accessible tracks.
Poole
Within this context, in Bournemouth, the strategy’s focus should be to:
 Improve the quality of the Hamworthy, Foreland Road and Harbourside
Park BMX tracks; and,
 Work with Bournemouth BMX Club to identify a suitable site and draw-up a
business case for an additional BMX track in an area of search north of the
117
A35 or improve an existing track where the location is suitable for
increased club based use to provide capacity should they wish to expand.
Should demand be demonstrated ‘on the ground’ consider provision for an
additional informal BMX track north of the A35 should delivery and longterm maintenance prove viable (should a club based track not be
forthcoming in that area).
118
Parkour
The focus of the assessment for parkour has been on identifying the demand
for dedicated facilities in Bournemouth and Poole.
There are currently no
parkour facilities in Bournemouth and Poole, but Bournemouth Borough
Council has been keen to explore levels of demand and potential need for
some type of parkour facility, hence its place as part of this assessment. It
does not seek to persuade or dissuade the need for provision of a facility, but
seeks to inform existing debate and consideration of a facility in the
Bournemouth and Poole conurbation.
Defining parkour
Parkour, also known as ‘free running’ is an activity or discipline which requires
strength, acrobatic skill and balance to jump and move between obstacles.
With
the
majority
of
the
parkour
community
being
most
active
in
Bournemouth, the assessment naturally focuses on potential in Bournemouth
rather than Poole although it is likely that any facility need identified as a
result of this assessment will cover a wide catchment which is likely to
encompass much of Poole, together with parts of the rest of south east
Dorset.
Understanding supply and demand
While there is currently no permanent provision or facility for parkour in
Bournemouth (nor across Dorset, with the nearest facility being in Andover),
there is an active parkour group in the town with almost 200 members from
within and outside Bournemouth 11. The group has been building momentum
and generating significant levels of interest, engaging positively with
Bournemouth Borough Council, the Police and the local community.
To seek to quantify levels of interest in a facility, a survey was sent out on the
Project Team’s behalf to members of the Bournemouth parkour community.
The survey generated over 170 responses, from which key issues raised are
11
See https://www.facebook.com/BournemouthParkourFacility
119
summarised later in this assessment. The overall impression from responses
is that demand is growing, with coaches which responded suggesting that the
number of coaching sessions held regularly need to be increased due to
demand.
While there are no formal training facilities for parkour, the sport is actively
and widely practiced in Bournemouth and Poole. Maps put together online by
people practising parkour 12 demonstrate the popularity and current use of
existing urban structures to practice parkour, with 10 locations identified for
doing parkour in central locations in Poole, 4 elsewhere in Poole, 15 in central
Bournemouth and 16 elsewhere in Bournemouth at the time of drafting this
assessment.
Responses to the surveys suggest that people come to
Bournemouth to train but also go to other towns from Bournemouth to train
and practice the sport. The Embassy Youth Centre is used by around 15% of
respondents to the survey of the respondents.
It is understood that some people attend gymnastics clubs to enhance their
training and many respondents to the survey said they train to improve
strength at gyms. Many respondents also mentioned that they use slack lines
and climbing walls to supplement their parkour interest and training. There is
nothing, however, with the primary purpose of enhancing a parkour
practitioner’s training or that makes it easier for beginners to connect with
experienced practitioners and learn in a risk assessed environment.
There are several parkour freerunning groups (informal ‘clubs’) which are
active in Bournemouth, a number of which have campaigned to secure local
authority support for a dedicated facility.
The Train Hard 13 Parkour and Freerunning Community Interest Company
(CIC) is a not-for-profit organisation set-up to promote and help provide a
structure for learning in Dorset. The group has ADAPT qualified 14 and insured
12
See
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=215848030669121299
704.0004d8c41fe6be6ac38b7
13
See http://train-hard.org/
14
See http://www.parkouruk.org/?page_id=1441 for more information. The ADAPT (Art du
Deplacement And Parkour Teaching) Qualifications are developed in conjunction with 1st4sport
120
parkour coaches and has run taster sessions and indoor training sessions at
the Sir David English Sports Centre.
Parkour UK
Parkour UK is the national sports governing body for parkour. Its priorities for
Bournemouth and Poole are to:
 Develop coaches via the ADAPT qualification;
 Club and organisation development;
 Schools delivery; and,
 Facility development.
Survey responses
A survey asking about the demands and needs for parkour was distributed via
Train Hard Parkour and Freerunning amongst the parkour community in
Bournemouth and Poole.
Around 170 responses were received.
Of the
responders most were in the 15 – 21 age group, with some in older age
groups who have been doing parkour for some time. A mix of skill levels were
represented with some adults with a lot of experience responding.
expected, the results are firmly in favour of providing a facility.
As
However,
with this anticipated response in mind, surveys also focused on understanding
what type of facility and where it could be provided.
Popular suggested locations or types of area for a facility included the
following:
 Central Bournemouth;
 An area easily accessible by train and bus;
 Near to or adjacent to a sports centre or busy area which is overlooked or
has regular passers-by to help prevent misuse and vandalism;
Qualifications, the awarding body for active learning and leisure, and are recognised and
accredited by both QCA and Ofqual.
121
 Avoiding areas which are already subject to vandalism.
Examples of
vandalism at parkour facilities in Bristol and Basingstoke were cited as
examples of a poor location where facilities were vandalised;
 King’s Park;
 Slades Farm;
 Redhill Park;
 Winton Rec.;
 Quieter beach areas; or,
 Poole Park.
Preference for an indoor or outdoor facility was fairly evenly split.
Some
suggested indoor as it gives a greater opportunity to practice in the winter.
Those people involved in coaching seem to suggest that an outdoor facility is
better.
A few respondents suggested that an indoor and outdoor facility
would be beneficial as safe training can be done indoors and an outdoor
facility can be used to put that training to the test.
However, more people
responded suggesting that it does not matter with a strength of feeling that
just providing a facility is better than having no facility at all.
Conclusions
The level of interest in parkour in Bournemouth and Poole seems to support a
need for a facility for the sport. A well-designed facility meeting the needs of
participants will provide a hub for parkour. It could help to alleviate concerns
which may exist about people using existing structures and provide a focus
around which safe and structured learning and training can take place as well
as informal use. There are lessons that can be learnt from existing parkour
facilities provided elsewhere in the country and a number of useful
suggestions have been made through the survey undertaken for the
assessment to help frame appropriate provision.
It is suggested that a site for a facility is identified in Bournemouth Borough,
given the town being the focus of support for parkour in the south east Dorset
122
conurbation. If a site for a facility can be found, plans should be deliverable
(i.e. have capital investment up front to build it) and sustainable in the longterm (i.e. have sufficient funds available for maintenance or at least a
mechanism through which funds can be raised to secure maintenance) prior
to commitment.
The search for a suitable site for a facility should consider the following
criteria. An appropriate site should:
 Be in an overlooked or well-used area such as a well-used park or adjacent
to a leisure centre to minimise the potential for vandalism to the facility;
 Be in a central location within easy (walkable) distance to public transport
nodes;
 Be located alongside existing or proposed wheelpark or MUGA to
encourage use of the facilities, creating an outdoor activity ‘hub’ for young
people; and,
 Be located or have the opportunity to be near to refreshments.
Due to cost, it is likely that an outdoor facility will be more viable than an
indoor one (although a shared facility with use for gymnastics as identified in
the sports halls assessment may be an attractive proposition for parkour for
the winter months and for training, if provided in addition to an outdoor
facility). However, close consultation with users of a facility and groups such
as Train Hard Parkour and Freerunning CIC and the sports governing body,
Parkour UK, should take place to help determine an appropriate site and
nature of the facility.
123
Orienteering
Bournemouth Borough Council and Borough of Poole were keen to have a
brief assessment done of the potential needs and demand for orienteering in
and around the conurbation.
This assessment draws on local knowledge
about demands and needs of the sport.
Defining orienteering
For the purposes of this assessment formal orienteering routes only are
considered. While the routes have not been audited to assess their quality,
rather, it relies upon information about key issues gathered from key active
individuals and the club operating in and around Bournemouth and Poole who
know and use the routes week to week.
This provides a more accurate
appraisal of quality, quantity and accessibility issues than if someone who
does not do the sport undertakes an audit.
Due to its nature, orienteering clubs use routes across Dorset and do not
confine themselves to using routes within the conurbation.
However, this
brief assessment focuses on the needs and demand of orienteering taking
place within the Borough boundaries.
Understanding supply and demand
There are no readily available data about orienteering in and around
Bournemouth and Poole. Understanding supply and demand in Bournemouth
and Poole therefore depends on the input from key individuals involved in
orienteering across the area.
There are 3 formal orienteering trails in Bournemouth at Littledown Centre,
King’s Park and Slades Farm and 1 in Poole at Poole Park. Other routes used
locally include one in Upton Country Park just outside Poole, one at Moors
Valley Country Park near Verwood and areas such as Brownsea Island and
124
Studland.
The Wessex Orienteering Club website 15 states that permanent
courses perform a role both for clubs and for the general public wanting to try
orienteering out at any time.
Park based course suit those starting out in
orienteering while forest-based courses (outside of Bournemouth and Poole)
provide more of a challenge.
When asked about the top 5 things which could be done to improve
orienteering in general in Bournemouth and Poole, the Wessex Orienteering
Club (the club which operates out of Bournemouth and Poole) suggested:
 Regular publicity and communication about courses and club opportunities
to access the sport;
 A funded post to focus on promotion;
 Formal links with schools;
 Funding for or production of mapping of routes; and,
 Transportation for young people to get to events and routes.
The club also suggested that the biggest challenges to orienteering in
Bournemouth and Poole are lack of awareness of the sport, people requiring
transport to events outside of the Borough boundaries and involving families
with young children to help ensure the next generation of orienteers.
The club suggested that they would be interested in having a ‘base’, perhaps
as part of a multi-sports hub.
They do not currently operate from any
particular location, instead meeting at the start of orienteering routes. A hub
could also act as a social base for members, which is currently lacking.
We also received comments relating to access to land.
would enable additional routes to be set out.
Improved access
Key restrictions include
protected areas for landscape, wildlife and habitats, and shooting tenants.
The club has seen membership numbers remain stable in recent years and
expects it to remain the same, assuming that new and young members can
be attracted to help sustain levels as some members get older.
15
See http://www.wessex-oc.org/home.htm
125
The club’s top 5 priorities for the next 3 – 5 years are to attract more young
people, hold more local events, get more areas and routes mapped, involve
more schools in the sport and encourage younger members to volunteer to
help.
British Orienteering
The national sports governing body, British Orienteering, has stated that its
main priority is to support clubs to deliver regular weekly activity from a fixed
base.
Conclusions
Orienteering has an opportunity to grow as a sport in and around
Bournemouth and Poole. However, due to the nature of the sport requiring
predominantly open green space, there are limitations to how many trails can
be set-up and formally designated across the Boroughs. However, as far as
practicable, Bournemouth Borough Council and Borough of Poole should work
with the orienteering club to designate additional new trails if the demand
suggests a need and there is funding available to do so in the initial and
longer-term to sustain routes. There are a number of other things that the
Borough Councils could help with, including exploring with the clubs
opportunities to help promote the sport more widely to young people and
families and exploring opportunities to allow the club access to a multi-sport
hub facility if developed as part of other wider plans for sports hubs.
126
Outdoor gyms
Bournemouth Borough Council has asked for an assessment to be done of
demand and need for outdoor gyms. The assessment has utilised information
gathered for other assessments such as that for running and athletics and
also data collected by Bournemouth Borough Council on use of parks. As the
Borough of Poole already has outdoor gyms, evidence of use of has also used
to benchmark potential use in Bournemouth.
Defining outdoor gyms
Outdoor gyms are freely accessible outdoor gym equipment most often placed
in parks on popular running routes, for people to incorporate into their
running or training regime.
They are also a useful facility for sports clubs
training outside to use.
Bournemouth Borough Council has requested an assessment of the potential
demand and need for outdoor gyms.
The Borough of Poole already has a
good supply of the facilities (which are well-used) and so therefore has not
required an assessment. Information on the outdoor gyms in Poole has been
useful in helping to understand potential demand in Bournemouth.
Understanding supply and demand
Bournemouth currently has one outdoor fitness area in Littledown Park known
as the ‘Trim Trail’. This comprises seven ‘stations’ allowing users to do hurdle
jumps, recline pulls, tricep dips, knee raises, lateral jumps, press-ups and
step-ups.
By comparison, Poole has 4 areas at Baiter, Hamworthy,
Branksome Recreation Ground and Poole Park. It is worth mentioning these
as Poole has undertaken surveys of use which provide a good indicator of
demand to inform provision in Bournemouth (see below).
We understand that Bournemouth Borough Council currently has plans to
provide up to four additional outdoor fitness areas at Slades Farm (in the
127
process of being delivered), on the seafront, Horseshoe Common and King’s
Park.
Bournemouth Borough Council Parks Survey
In February 2013, the Borough Council published the results of a Parks
Survey.
Its results are based on 517 responses, all of which were from
Bournemouth residents. Of those who responded, 58% said they would like
to see outdoor gym equipment in more public parks and green spaces. This
represents a significant amount of interest from a cross-section of residents
which warrants serious consideration of provision of outdoor gym equipment.
Use of outdoor fitness equipment in Poole
Poole’s outdoor fitness equipment is located at Baiter (1 cluster of equipment
with 4 stations), Hamworthy (2 stations), Branksome Recreation Ground (3
stations) and Poole Park (6 clusters with 20 pieces of equipment). In 2009, a
survey of use was undertaken. The survey projected use of 9 users per hour
for 12 hours daylight between May and September equating to over 17,000
user sessions and over 14,000 users during the months of October to April.
The survey found that most use was made during afternoons with weekends
seeing greater use. There were strong links made between runners and use
of the equipment but also walkers, dog walkers and those using the public
slipway for watersports at Baiter. Users asked thought it was a good use of
money and appreciate the free open access to the equipment and being able
to factor it in to their training or exercise routine.
Linking outdoor fitness equipment with other sports and activities
The evidence from the Poole survey and experience elsewhere suggests that
outdoor fitness equipment is popular with runner and joggers in park and on
seafront locations. As the assessment for athletics has highlighted, informal
running and Park Runs are becoming more popular and, together with other
evidence summarised in this assessment, suggest there would be demand for
outdoor fitness equipment in Bournemouth in locations popular with runners.
128
Other locations where there are clear benefits are parks and recreation
grounds where there are multiple sports using the pitches and facilities.
Equipment should be well-signposted to ensure opportunity to use the
facilities is well known.
Existing plans and programmes
The Literature and Strategic Review of plans and programmes currently
operational in Bournemouth and Poole has identified the following projects
which will need to be considered alongside recent evidence gathered on
provision to help determine the strategic approach to fill gaps in provision in
the period to 2026.
129
Figure 50: Projects which relate to future strategic provision of cricket pitches in Bournemouth and Poole
Progress
Project / proposal
Source Document
Horseshoe Common
Parks
– gym trail and skate bowl – linked to Plan
Horseshoe
Common
Feasibility
Underway /
started
ongoing
Complete
remain a
priority? *
Investment
2009-13
and
Study Horshoe
Park
Masterplan
2011/2012
Identified
Not
Does it
priorities
(programmed
year
of
improvement and H/M/L priority) relevant to Sports
Strategy:
Develop 250m cycle track (2011 - H); repair and
improve skate park (2012-14 - M); improve school
pitch drainage (2013 - H); refurbish tennis / netball
courts at Glenmoor School (2014 - H); fitness trail
in school or park (2014 – M); full size artificial turf
Slades
Masterplan
Farm
2012-
2021
250m
track
completed
2011
pitch for rugby / football (2016 – M); new sports
hall (2020 - M); new girls’ changing rooms (2015 H); outdoor climbing wall (2014 – M); and, 1km
cycling / training circuit (2015 - M).
130
cycle
Yes
Conclusions
Based on evidence gathered on potential demand in Bournemouth and on
experience of use of outdoor fitness equipment in Poole, provision should be
made as currently proposed in Bournemouth (i.e. at Slades Farm, on the
seafront, Horseshoe Common and King’s Park). When this provision has been
delivered, its use should be monitored to determine whether additional facilities
will be required. Any additional facilities should be provided in locations where
they are likely to be used by runners and other users.
131
Outdoor table tennis
Bournemouth Borough Council asked for an assessment to be undertaken of
outdoor table tennis facilities. While it is very difficult to estimate likely demand,
various sources of information have been used to help determine whether or not
investment in such facilities is worthwhile and cost-effective.
Defining outdoor table tennis
Outdoor table tennis can be played in open spaces such as parks, beach and
seafront locations.
Tables are typically made from concrete, steel, fibreglass,
resin laminate and concrete polymer. The cost of providing a table is typically
around £500 - £4,000.
Most tables already in use across the UK are free to
access, but some tables are known to be operated on a nominal charge or pay
and play basis (where located on a leisure centre site). Bats and balls can be
kept at kiosk and café locations adjacent to the tables and users have tended
also to bring their own at existing sites.
Understanding supply and demand
There are currently no outdoor table tennis tables in Bournemouth, although it is
understood that temporary tables have been used in the past at conferences at
the BIC.
Bournemouth Borough Council Parks Survey
In February 2013, the Borough Council published the results of a Parks Survey.
Its results are based on 517 responses, all of which were from Bournemouth
residents.
Of those who responded, 25% said they would like to see outdoor
table tennis tables in public parks and green spaces.
This represents a
reasonable level of interest from a cross-section of residents which warrants
consideration of provision.
132
In addition to interest from residents, there could be interest from the
substantial number of international students who come to Bournemouth every
year to study. While not quantified in this assessment, table tennis is popular
socially in a number of European countries and publicly accessible tables could
prove popular for international students, stimulating additional interest from
residents.
English Table Tennis Association
In 2010, the English Table Tennis Association undertook a pilot project to install,
monitor and evaluate the use of outdoor table tennis tables 16. The findings of
the pilot projects are appended for information. In summary, some of the key
conclusions were:
 47 permanent public outdoor tables were set up in partnership with London
Borough Councils;
 Tables were widely used and popular with the public;
 Value for money equates to between 0.085p (peak periods of use) and 0.88p
(less busy period) per participant;
 concrete tables are the best in terms of permanency, vandal and weather
resistance. They also have very good playability. However concrete is
generally heavier and more expensive than models made of other materials
and they require specialist installation. It was also felt that the steel tables
used are very durable, extremely well made, though playability is slightly
inferior to concrete and they are at the high end of the price range; and,
 Critical success factors are focused around putting the table in the right
location to enable screening from wind, giving access to bats and balls and
ensuring they are located somewhere with a good footfall past the site.
Other guidance from the ETTA suggests that an outdoor table can last for up to
20 years and suggest using a deposit system for the loan / hire of bats and
balls.
Bats and balls can also be sold relatively cheaply.
Further advice on
establishing outdoor table tennis is available from the ETTA website 17.
16
17
Findings can be seen here http://etta.tv/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/london_pilot.pdf
See http://etta.co.uk/?s=outdoor+table+tennis
133
When contacted, the ETTA suggested that one of their priorities is to bring
‘Ping!City’ 18 to Bournemouth in the next 4 – 5 years with outdoor tables and
high profile spaces being a focus.
Conclusions
Bournemouth
While there is little evidence locally to substantiate the provision of a particular
number of outdoor table tennis tales in Bournemouth, an indication of demand
from the Parks Survey and the success of pilot projects elsewhere supported by
the ETTA suggest that having a similar pilot project in a park in Bournemouth
would be beneficial to help establish whether provision on a more permanent
basis in other locations across the town would be worthwhile.
This could be
developed in partnership with the ETTA and other interested stakeholders.
Temporary provision in seafront locations may also be worth trialling at the
height of summer (although success will be closely linked to the weather
conditions).
Should a pilot prove successful, further tables could installed at other locations
during the middle and later parts of the strategy period if funding for their
provision and long-term maintenance can be secured.
18
See http://www.pingengland.co.uk/
134
Appendix 1
ETTA Outdoor Table Tennis Pilot Findings
135
136
137
138
139