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Boscombe surf reef and Spa Village project up for award

1:25pm Monday 28th December 2009 in


THE multi-million pound Boscombe Spa Village project has been shortlisted as one of the UK’s best regeneration schemes.

The surf reef and revamped seafront could earn Bournemouth a Local Government Chronicle Award.

The scheme, which cost around £11.07million for the reef and seafront elements and a further £1.2m for Boscombe Gardens, has made it to the final six.

The awards will be announced next spring and will go to councils that have showed vision, imagination and enthusiasm.

Although the scheme ended up late and over-budget, it is credited with generating 55 new jobs, bringing £850,000 of private sector money to the area and boosting the local economy by £41.5million.

Previously declining visitor numbers have been reversed with a 32 per cent increase during summer 2009 compared to the previous year.

Cllr Stephen MacLoughlin, leader of Bournemouth council, said: “I am delighted Bournemouth has been shortlisted for the Boscombe Spa Village regeneration. This is an outstanding regeneration scheme which has turned an under-utilised site into a modern multi-purpose leisure amenity located on one of Bournemouth’s best beaches.

“As well as the vision and dedication of members and officers, I am particularly thrilled the council has worked together with local private businesses to invest in this redevelopment project and we can share the credit for the success with them.”

Next month, representatives of the council and local traders will give presentations to a panel of judges. The winner will be announced on March 24.

Comments(15)

Azphreal says...
2:45pm Mon 28 Dec 09

So how did a reef that was not in use bump up the visitor numbers? But as its an award for showing "vision, imagination and enthusiasm" i suppose common sense did not come into it.

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sollie says...
3:34pm Mon 28 Dec 09

Why give an award to something that is late and over budget?
Is there a sub category of most spin given by a council award?

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Mediclogan5 says...
3:35pm Mon 28 Dec 09

Regeneration? Where is the evidence that it has made any financial gain or profit, that it cost £11 Million and has not brought droves of tourism since the summer, the Beach Pods are still up for sale and hardly anyone is using the Surf Reef.....and this scheme is up for an award?....WHY? ...Oh Yes the Council want to make its financial white elephant something its not.

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yeahRight says...
4:18pm Mon 28 Dec 09

if this project is in the final six, god know what the other five are.
is the surf "better" now or are the wind and tide conditions still not "optimal" ?

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honcho says...
4:31pm Mon 28 Dec 09

Oh get over it people. I live there and think it's the best part of Bournemouth, it's beautiful.
I don't surf or give a fig about the surf reef. The whole area looks so much better than it did 4 years ago.
As for the delay ond overspend - so what name a govt project that HAS come in on time and under budget.

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RegAlbertson says...
5:32pm Mon 28 Dec 09

An award for regeneration, when it has gained nothing but turmoil, downgrade, and further degregation than it was. An Award for the loss of so much money that belonged to the taxpayer. An award for a surf reef that has not been proven as yet. An award for an increase in tourist visitors, through what. An award for surf pods that are no good to anyone. I do hope the projects 1 to 5 are better, but I am imagining that projects 7 and onwards are something like communal bin areas, bicycle racks, etc. The only award that should be given is to the Council Leaders for their stupidity in getting involved with such a dumb deal.
The village in Prisoner has more life than Boscombe Spa Village, and the Surf Wreath.

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colin 50 says...
5:44pm Mon 28 Dec 09

and a gold award for solidarity in backing the town hall pervert and his laptop

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colin 50 says...
5:46pm Mon 28 Dec 09

The awards will be announced next spring and will go to councils that have showed vision, imagination and enthusiasm. did i read that right?,should have gone to specsavers.

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fartycat says...
6:37pm Mon 28 Dec 09

To be fair, when I have been down the beach, there seems to be many more people around the pier and reef at Boscombe then there ever was so it has done something for the area. And yes, it does look much better nowadays too.

It is just a shame that nothing can be done for the vast majority of Boscombe residents who live north of Christchurch Road.

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cooperman says...
7:04pm Mon 28 Dec 09

and the hype goes on .... who on earth has benefitted from the building of the surf reef ? yes its tidier down there now but a tidy up and a degree of restructuring to achieve that would have cost very little in isolation compared to the monsterous cost of this project that remains unproved and unused by the general public who are not competant enough to use it .. in itself it generates no income,it may currently have a novelty value but equally will have a boredom factor if it fails to deliver as seems to be the situation. the surf pods have not proved popular and honeycombe chine flats will only profit the developer and would have sold without the surf reef being built . someone is jumping the gun on an unproved development in making this award that frankly has no real value - i would say its really on a par with the Imax on a practical level but I guess we are supposed to believe its something special - yeah right

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inyerpocket says...
8:34pm Mon 28 Dec 09

Most overspent ego led disaster award. Bunch of selfish ......

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inyerpocket says...
8:42pm Mon 28 Dec 09

Actually it would be nice to see how much of our taxes have been spent on the recent Yellow Bus ads 'biggin up the local Council' and what good it does rather than feed the overpaid freeloaders egos.

Who cares about the Tourist Board geezer saying I walk/ride in Bournemouth' to make the world a better place emblazoned on a bus at our expense? Do they think we are total idiots?

I think it is clear who the idiots are. Us for not kicking these jokers out of our town

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inyerpocket says...
8:50pm Mon 28 Dec 09

“As well as the vision and dedication of members and officers, I am particularly thrilled the council has worked together with local private businesses to invest in this redevelopment project and we can share the credit for the success with them.” sounds like Horses8it is horsesh8it very much like our incompetent council. guess they will be on to take this post down asap. What a waste of our money the air stealers

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souwest says...
2:57pm Tue 29 Dec 09

Well would you rather they gave the money to chavs, scum and other idlers who sit on their Jack raping us of our hard earned money, laughing in our faces? better to spend it on deer killing, power ale drinking, wife beating, giro stretching, drug taking, fag smoking, teenage-impregnating Socially excluded victims of a world wot darnt care - innit?

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rotcoddam says...
11:51pm Tue 29 Dec 09

Does make you wonder what the other projects are like, if this shambles is the best

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