Boscombe Surf Reef

Boscombe Surf Reef was an artificial reef built to enhance surfing conditions in Boscombe, Dorset, UKThe Boscombe Surf Reef was the first surfing reef to be constructed in the Northern Hemisphere. Boscombe, a district of Bournemouth, opted to build a surfing reef to provide a unique focal point for the town's multi-million pound waterfront redevelopment effort. In April 2014, after being closed since March 2011, the council re-branded the reef as a coastal activity park concentrating on diving and wind surfing, as well as kite and wind surfing. DesignThe idea came originally from David Weight, a member of Wessex Surf Club, whose proposals to Bournemouth council and initial research date from 1993. The reef is thus sometimes referred to as "Weights Reef". The reef covers approximately one hectare and is located 225 metres from the Beach. Like most of the other reefs built to date, the Boscombe Reef was built from large sand-filled geotextile containers. With a total volume of 13, 000 m3, the reef was designed purely as a surfing break. A study undertaken for Bournemouth council shows that prior to the reef there were 77 good surfing days annually, although surfing took place on 153 days, with a total of 5, 000 surf visits to Boscombe per year. The intention was that the reef would double the number of good surfing days and it was hoped this would generate 10, 000 visits. The original estimate for designing and building the reef was £1. 4 million. The eventual cost was £3 million for the reef, and a total of £11 million for the redevelopment of the seafront area and the refurbishment of the pier. This was funded by the sale of a car park on which Barratt Developments constructed the Honeycombe Chine Flats complex, and the sale of Beach Pods which formed part of the Overstrand building.

Boscombe Surf Reef was an artificial reef built to enhance surfing conditions in Boscombe, Dorset, UKThe Boscombe Surf Reef was the first surfing reef to be constructed in the Northern Hemisphere. Boscombe, a district of Bournemouth, opted to build a surfing reef to provide a unique focal point for the town's multi-million pound waterfront redevelopment effort. In April 2014, after being closed since March 2011, the council re-branded the reef as a coastal activity park concentrating on diving and wind surfing, as well as kite and wind surfing. DesignThe idea came originally from David Weight, a member of Wessex Surf Club, whose proposals to Bournemouth council and initial research date from 1993. The reef is thus sometimes referred to as "Weights Reef". The reef covers approximately one hectare and is located 225 metres from the Beach. Like most of the other reefs built to date, the Boscombe Reef was built from large sand-filled geotextile containers. With a total volume of 13, 000 m3, the reef was designed purely as a surfing break. A study undertaken for Bournemouth council shows that prior to the reef there were 77 good surfing days annually, although surfing took place on 153 days, with a total of 5, 000 surf visits to Boscombe per year. The intention was that the reef would double the number of good surfing days and it was hoped this would generate 10, 000 visits. The original estimate for designing and building the reef was £1. 4 million. The eventual cost was £3 million for the reef, and a total of £11 million for the redevelopment of the seafront area and the refurbishment of the pier. This was funded by the sale of a car park on which Barratt Developments constructed the Honeycombe Chine Flats complex, and the sale of Beach Pods which formed part of the Overstrand building.