Boscombe Spa Village

Regeneration scheme

Bournemouth Borough Council’s innovative £13.5 million Boscombe Spa Village regeneration scheme has transformed an economically and socially deprived coastal suburb, re-branding it into a year round 21st century surf lifestyle destination creating a centre-piece attraction as Europe’s first artificial surf reef.|

 Building on a long established local tradition for surfing and water sports, Europe’s first artificial surf reef extends the traditional beach season into the winter helping to deliver a year round beach attraction and increased trading for the local tourism industry. The ‘cool’ image around surfing and surf-lifestyles helps to rebrand Boscombe as a UK beach resort for the 21st century.

The scheme has directly levered in additional £48.8 million of private sector investment including Barratt Homes flagship Honeycombe Beach residential complex. Since completion, 91 new long term jobs have been created on site, visitor numbers have increased 32% and incidents of anti-social behaviour are down 40%.

 

Key elements of the Boscombe Spa Village Regeneration scheme include:

• Europe’s 1st artificial surf reef – an innovative off-peak season leisure amenity attracting new visitors, international publicity and interest.
• Boscombe pier refurbished including the formerly derelict Grade II listed pleasure entrance building.
• Derelict Overstrand building transformed into high quality beach leisure facility incorporating:
• ‘Urban Reef’ restaurant / bar
• 60 stylish beach huts interior designed by Wayne & Gerardine Hemingway MBE
• Surf school, surf equipment hire and retail
• Public shower/changing facilities and toilets
• Beach office
• Water sport events office
• Year round RNLI life guarding facilities
• Extensively re-landscaped public realm featuring public art and pedestrianised piazza
• Refurbished Boscombe Chine Gardens, featuring new mini-golf, ‘Clock House’ café, multi-use games area, children’s water play feature and extensive re-planting
• New residential community of 169 apartments
  

  Outcomes of the Boscombe Spa Village Regeneration scheme

  The regeneration scheme commenced in 2006 and was completed in October 2009.

  The Council’s regeneration scheme has directly resulted in:

• 532 full-time equivalent (FTE) construction jobs during the build phase
• 91 on-going FTE leisure industry jobs within completed the site
• 32 FTE in-direct supply chain jobs feeding new businesses within the site
• 25% uplift in local house prices
• 32% increase in visitor numbers since 2008
• Independent visitor surveys reveal satisfaction with facilities up from 56% to 74% since 2007