The Reef at Boscombe
Boscombe Reef Update
There has been a great deal of work being made behind the scenes for Europe 's first Artificial Surf Reef. There has been delay in DEFRA processing the license because of the uniqueness and complexity of this project. However there is currently meaningful progress being made and DEFRA has offered the Bournemouth Borough Council a meeting to discuss the project. Once Bournemouth Borough Council receives a license from DEFRA, it can then order geotextile sandbags and webbing base from New Zealand and Australia.
Bournemouth Borough Council is planning to begin construction in early Autumn 2007. This is subject to license being issued in the near future and, together with favourable weather conditions for construction, this would allow for completion in November 2007. Specialist materials will be transported from Australia and New Zealand.
The "spider's web" base webbing, on which the geo-textile sand bags rest on is going to be manufactured in New Zealand and sent over to Australia . The geo-textile bags, which are environmentally inert and therefore ecological sound, will be manufactured in Australia. Both of these materials will then be transported to England for construction to start. The bags are huge, and each one has a total volume of between 30 to 800m.
The Surf Reef - What has happened so far?
In April 2007, Dr Kerry Black, designer of the reef, flew to England from New Zealand to spend some days undertaking a bathymetric survey of the seabed floor at Boscombe. This took place to ensure that the reef design was updated to the change in the seabed floor as a result of the beach replenishment activity that took place in December 2006/January 2007.
The reef is a certain height and so it needs to be fitted in the right position between the seabed and the surface. The process of measuring the seabed floor took place on a boat, which travel up and down the length of the reef, and then traversing the width, so that the exact depth of the seabed floor was measured accurately.
Final Reef Design - As a result of this process, a final reef design, that has been approved by other surf reef experts, has been finalised.
Reef Construction Contractor - Carillion has been nominated as the contractor for construction. Carillion are currently working on the renovation of Boscombe Pier.
Reef Construction Materials - The webbing and geotextile bag manufacturers have been nominated.
Boscombe Reef
WaveFreaks surf academy is located at Boscombe Pier, the home to the first artificial surf reef in Europe.
The artificial surf reef at Boscombe Pier, Bournemouth has been given the go-ahead. Development will start in June 2007 and will continue until September 2007 when the Council hopes the reef will be in place. So far, the pier has had the amusement arcade demolished and the builders are currently removing the remains. It's been looking like an oil rig has been sat on the end of Boscombe pier for the past few weeks.
The development of the new flats at Honeycombe beach has begun to take shape with the structure being put in place and the sales office now sitting on the promenade.
We will update this with more information as soon as we hear anything.