ITEM 7a P e l l F r i s c h m a n n THE BEACH – MILTON KEYNES PRELIMINARY FEASIBILITY STUDY MAY 2006 e x c l n t h r o u g i v a THE BEACH - MILTON KEYNES PRELIMINARY FEASIBILITY STUDY REVISION RECORD Report Ref: Rev Description Date Originator Checked Approved A Draft 19-08-05 R Ashiley M Elton B Second Draft 06-09-05 Various M Elton C Final 10-05-06 T Wray M Jordan M Jordan This report is to be regarded as confidential to our Client and it is intended for their use only and may not be assigned. Consequently and in accordance with current practice, any liability to any third party in respect of the whole or any part of its contents is hereby expressly excluded. Before the report or any part of it is reproduced or referred to in any document, circular or statement and before its contents or the contents of any part of it are disclosed orally to any third party, our written approval as to the form and context of such a publication or disclosure must be obtained Prepared for : Prepared by : Pell Frischmann Consultants Ltd. Lloyds Court, 659 Silbury Boulevard MILTON KEYNES MK9 3DP Pell Frischmann Form ref: CQF047/A THE BEACH - MILTON KEYNES PRELIMINARY FEASIBILITY STUDY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In response to on-going public pressure, Pell Frischmann was commissioned by English Partnerships to undertake an environmental feasibility study to assess the potential for the creation of an artificial beach within the Milton Keynes area, with a particular initial focus on Willen Lake. Willen Lake is located at National Grid Reference SP 880 400, and was initially considered as a potential location for an inland artificial beach as the site is already extensively used for water based activities including water skiing, boating, fishing and other water born activities. As an initial stage of the preliminary assessment of Willen Lake as a potential location for an urban beach it was deemed appropriate to consider the water quality of the southern lake and its suitability to be used as bathing water as part of the proposed new beach facility. An initial round of water monitoring was undertaken on Tuesday 4th April 2006 comprising fifteen samples from the edge of the lake and five samples from the centre of the lake. The retained samples results were assessed against the water quality standards contained within the EC Bathing Waters Directive. With reference to, and learning from similar urban beach schemes undertaken across Europe, additional possible locations for an urban beach within the Milton Keynes areas have also been considered at the following sites: • Caldecotte Lake, • Furzton Lake and Campbell Park, and • The integration of a beach into either the Western or Eastern Expansion area. For each of these sites a very brief outline assessment of the environmental feasibility, health and safety issues, accessibility, landscaping and visual assessment of each site as the proposed location for the proposed urban beach has been made with recommendations given to the further works that will be required to fully determine the potential for each site. Having carried out a preliminary assessment of five potential sites, Campbell Park would appear to provide the best location for an urban beach scheme given: • Good access and a large number of existing parking spaces; • South facing potential beach site; • Good pedestrian links to City Centre which could easily be improved via effective signposting; • Potential for existing food and drink retailers in the City Centre to service the beach area; • Potential sponsors – Milton Keynes Theatre / John Lewis ; • Avoids potential issues of water quality, safety and human health issues associated with a lake side beach; • Close to main shopping centre – potential for visitors to visit the shops and beach on same day; • The site does not directly impact any existing environmental habitats or designations; • Opportunities to attract office workers during lunch break; and Pell Frischmann Form ref: CQF047/A THE BEACH - MILTON KEYNES PRELIMINARY FEASIBILITY STUDY • Would keep more energetic and noisy outdoor pursuits focused on the other lake sites around Milton Keynes. Based on the findings of this preliminary feasibility study it is recommended that if the Milton Keynes urban beach project becomes a viable project, then a full feasibility study is carried out on the Campbell Park site as the preferred location for the scheme, rather than on Willen Lake; the site that English Partnerships were under increasing public pressure to consider as the location for the urban beach. Pell Frischmann Form ref: CQF047/A THE BEACH - MILTON KEYNES PRELIMINARY FEASIBILITY STUDY CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................1 2. THE MILTON KEYNES BEACH ..................................................................................1 2.1 OPTION 1 - WILLEN LAKE SOUTH ...................................................................2 2.1.1 Statutory Designations ~ Willen Lake (SP 880 399) ..................................4 2.2 WILLEN LAKE WATER QUALITY DATA ............................................................4 2.3 WATER SAMPLING............................................................................................4 2.4 SAMPLE RESULTS ............................................................................................4 3. REVIEW OF ALTERNATIVES .....................................................................................6 3.1 SITE SUITABILITY..............................................................................................6 3.2 ACCESSIBILITY..................................................................................................7 3.3 SPONSORSHIP ..................................................................................................7 3.4 SUSTAINABILITY................................................................................................7 3.5 HEALTH AND SAFETY.......................................................................................8 3.6 ALTERNATIVE OPTION 1 - CALDECOTTE LAKE.............................................8 3.6.1 Statutory Designations ~ Caldecotte Lake (NGR: SP 889 349)...............10 3.7 ALTERNATIVE OPTION 2 - FURZTON LAKE..................................................10 3.7.1 Statutory Designations ~ Furzton Lake (NGR: SP 847 359)...................11 3.8 ALTERNATIVE OPTION 3 – NEW SITE IN EITHER EASTERN OR WESTERN EXPANSION AREAS..................................................................................................12 3.9 ALTERNATIVE OPTION 4 – CAMPBELL PARK ..............................................13 3.9.1 Statutory Designations ~ Campbell Park (NGR: SP 864 395) .................14 4. OPTION ASSESSMENT TABLES .............................................................................15 5. EUROPEAN URBAN BEACH CASE STUDIES ........................................................25 5.1 THE SEINE BEACH – PARIS ...........................................................................25 5.1.1 Introduction ..............................................................................................25 5.1.2 FUNDING.................................................................................................25 5.1.3 COMMUNITY...........................................................................................25 5.1.4 ASPECTS AND IMPACTS.......................................................................26 5.1.5 HEALTH AND SAFETY ...........................................................................26 5.2 OTHER URBAN BEACHES IN EUROPE .........................................................26 5.2.1 BRUXELLES LES BAIN...........................................................................27 5.2.2 THE BERLIN STRAND ............................................................................27 5.2.3 PARCO SEMPIONE – MILAN .................................................................27 5.2.4 BUDAPEST PLAZS .................................................................................27 6. CONCLUSION............................................................................................................28 7. FURTHER WORK ......................................................................................................28 FIGURE 1 – MILTON KEYNES SITE LOCATION PLAN APPENDIX 1 - STATUTORY DESIGNATIONS Pell Frischmann Form ref: CQF047/A THE BEACH - MILTON KEYNES PRELIMINARY FEASIBILITY STUDY 1. INTRODUCTION In response to on-going public pressure, Pell Frischmann was commissioned by English Partnerships to undertake an environmental feasibility study to assess the potential for the creation of an artificial beach within the Milton Keynes area, with a particular initial focus on Willen Lake. Willen Lake is located at National Grid Reference SP 880 400, and was initially considered as a potential location for an inland artificial beach as the site is already extensively used for water based activities including water skiing, boating, fishing and other water born activities. As an initial stage of the preliminary assessment of Willen Lake as a potential location for an urban beach it was deemed appropriate to consider the water quality of the southern lake and its suitability to be used as bathing water as part of the proposed new beach facility. An initial round of water monitoring was undertaken on Tuesday 4th April 2006 comprising fifteen samples from the edge of the lake and five