Sandbanks Recreation Ground
Sandbanks Recreation Ground lies on the narrow Sandbanks peninsula to the south of Poole Harbour, backing the fine golden sands of Poole Bay. The popular beach area provides parking, catering and beach hut facilities in a neighbourhood widely celebrated for its expensive waterside homes and 4-star hotels. For some years, however, the recreation ground has not been an attractive destination in its own right with the area around the Pavilion particularly having a feeling of gradual decline about it.
Since October 2005 Leisure Services have been developing a long-term project that will:
- Create a sense of arrival and destination at Sandbanks; something that was lost with the haphazard development of the car park and other facilities;
- Install an new equipped children's play park behind the Pavilion;
- Remodel the rear of the Pavilion, creating an attractive and usable landscape that meets the changing needs of beach users.
Sandbanks Recreation Ground and Pavilion were opened in 1928, when the area was still reasonably remote and most visitors relied on public transport to get to the beach. Over the years, the pedestrian access has survived but it and other areas have been greatly modified to meet changing needs, principally revolving around recreational activity and car parking.
In between the rear of the Pavilion and the rockery bordering Banks Road is the crazy golf course, an 18-hole putting green and a space used for trampoline bungee (a new franchise introduced in 2004 on the original crazy golf site).
The Pavilion itself has been greatly remodelled in the last 20 years, losing its neo-classical features. The central dome and changing cubicles were removed, and the flat roof and sun terrace gave way to a pitched roof. During this period the WCs attached to the Pavilion were removed. The majority of visitors now access the beach adjacent to the public toilets rather than via the Pavilion.
There is no obvious structure or strong character to the Recreation Ground and it fails to reach its potential as a key component of a thriving and popular south coast resort beach. There are also a number of vegetated areas at the site that lack landscape appeal or integrity.
The Project
Work to improve the pedestrian entrance to Sandbanks beach began in March 2007. A wide 'plaza' has been created and that element of the project was completed in November, with the planting of twelve semi-mature pine trees to line the walkway from the car park to the promenade.
There is a further proposal that would see small covered kiosks bordering the eastern side of the new plaza, providing a range of retail opportunities appropriate to the site (newspaper sales, buckets & spades, etc).
The rear of the Pavilion was possibly the most unattractive area of the recreation ground. Work was completed in December 2007 to improve the footpath and create new bedding and architectural planting to provide a more formal setting for the building.
In May 2007 planning approval was granted for the installation of a 6m high twin-masted Activity Net in an area of sand that will become the new play park; it was installed in July. Work has now commenced on the planning of a wider range of equipment in an extended play area, with improvements to the footpath network and rationalisation of parking arrangements that should be ready for the 2009 summer season.
There is also a long-term proposal (Phase 2) to locate a new catering kiosk on the harbour side of the site, close to the play areas, with an outdoor patio and/or rooftop seating area designed to benefit from the spectacular harbour views.
A further phase, should there be significant public support and the necessary funding, would reinstate the original roofline of the Pavilion by restoring the flat roof, dome and balustrade for use as a sun terrace. The original access steps still exist and could be renovated and reopened.
Phasing & costs
The total cost of the wider scheme outlined above exceeds the funding currently available for it so work will be phased. Each phase will represent a marked improvement in its own right, one that can be enjoyed by visitors while additional funding is sought to complete the project.
The cost of the first phase is £400,000.
The project team continue to work with councillors and consultants to develop a creative and exciting scheme, worthy of this flagship site.
Updated 1st May 2008
Contact
For further project information, please contact:
Sarah Austin, Project Officer
E-mail: s.austin@poole.gov.uk
Tel: 01202 261325 (direct line)
More Leisure Projects
- Alexandra Park
- Bourne Valley Park
- Bourne Valley Play Area
- Hamworthy Park
- Kingston Road Recreation Ground
- Poole Park Lake
- Sandbanks Recreation Ground
- St Georges Field Recreation Ground
- Upton Country Park Walled Garden
- Whitecliff Recreation Ground
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