ECA Architecture and Planning were appointed by BCP Council in2024 to prepare a masterplan for the Harbourside Park in Poole.
We worked for BCP in consultation with a variety of stakeholders to create a masterplan to support investment plans and funding applications.
Our engagement work included a fun interactive session in a gazebo in the park, an exhibition in a community hall, and a workshop style meeting with stakeholders. We also engaged with Councils technical teams. We worked closely with our associated Quality Surveyors and undertook a value engineering exercise which took a design led approach and ensured we adhered to the projects agreed objectives.
There is significant potential to create an attractive coastal park here close to the large residential population of Poole. The masterplan is a spatial strategy to enable a phased cohesive programme of investment. Complex issues which the design overcame include:
- Creation of plans which are A scheme which enhances the biodiversity of this waterside location, some of which is designated SSSI
- Enhanced access for water sports activities including paddle boarding, canoeing and gig rowing in suitable locations
- Consideration of the needs of various maritime users, including jet ski, sailors, dinghy racing and commercial fishing vessels
- Layout and proposals which relate well to tidal conditions, availability of slipways and environmental constraints
- Sport pitch assessments
- Options for sports pavilions
- Joined up approach and management of technical team which included flood risk assessments, drainage assessments and ecology assessments
- Working with the Transforming Cities Funding team and the opportunities and constraints created by the strategic cycle network
- Creation of a masterplan document which is easy to read and use in the future
