Southwater Country Park
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Paddling beach trial
Public feedback from a recent Horsham District Council user survey regarding a new booking system for the paddling beach at Southwater Country Park has now been received and the results analysed.
The booking system was put in place to manage the volume of people on the beach during peak periods and make the beach safer and more enjoyable for children and families.
Commenting on the survey results Horsham District Council Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture Cllr Roger Noel said:
"Whilst the Council is delighted to have so many visitors from across the region to this ever popular destination, the cost of this success has unfortunately in the past brought about issues regarding parking, litter, overcrowding on the beach area and anti-social behaviour.
User responses to the survey were overwhelmingly positive and told us that not only was the booking system easy to use, but also the paddling beach was clean, safe, and it was easier to see the children in the water. It was great to hear that the visiting families enjoyed their sessions so much.
For the first time in many years, this summer we did not receive complaints from residents about off-street or poor parking, or excess litter in the park. We saw a reduction in night-time activity in the park and reports of people entering the water after hours also decreased.
In light of this feedback and information, we’ve decided to run the booking system trial again in peak times during summer 2022. The temporary fence around the beach area will stay up, but other than during peak holiday periods the gate will remain open and access to the beach will be open to all.
We know that the mediocre weather this year may have put off some visitors, so in running the booking system trial for a second year we will see if it continues to help make the park run more smoothly and create an overall improved visitor experience.
Many thanks to all who took part in the survey."
During summer 2022, the Council plans to conduct a further consultation with local residents and visitors to Southwater Country Park to determine how the park will evolve for future generations, and where future investments could be made.
The Council is acutely aware of the strong sentiment surrounding the welfare of the wildlife, and in particular the swans, in the park and it very much shares this sentiment.
The Council’s Countryside Warden team, together with the Swan and Friends Bird Rescue organisation do not believe that the fence has any negative impact on the welfare of any of the wildlife at the site.
Commenting on the situation, a Swans and Friends Bird Rescue spokesperson said:
"The Swans and Friends Bird Rescue team come out to Southwater Country Park to rescue injured and distressed waterfowl which is a key part of our role. We have seen the new fencing and believe it serves an important purpose in keeping dogs from the beach area where they disturb the waterfowl which may rest there. It also helps to keep the area clean.
The recent shooting of two cygnets at the park was nothing to do with the new fencing and is a totally separate issue involving individuals committing a wildlife crime which is a police matter, not a matter for the Council.
A £1,000 reward has already been offered for information leading to the successful prosecution of the culprits."
Throughout the lockdown a temporary large metal fence had been in place across the paddling beach area. This was being repeatedly vandalised, was badly damaged and had become unsafe.
The new semi-permanent fence was erected in May 2021, when COVID-19 restrictions were still in place, to improve the look of the area and provide the infrastructure for us to put in plans to manage what we anticipated would be a very busy summer period at the park.
The number of people using the park continues to increase year on year and we now welcome an estimated 160,000 visitors a year with the majority coming between April and August. We expect this to continue to grow.
Southwater Country Park is a destination park for visitors from across the district and beyond, especially during hot weather. Over the past decade, issues with parking, litter, overcrowding on and around the beach and anti-social behaviour out of hours has caused operational issues and concerns for residents.
As a Council, we have introduced a number of methods to try and encourage greater movement through the park at peak periods, as well as bringing in additional support staff to help with site security, parking and visitor safety. Our aim has been to make it a nicer place for all visitors to enjoy during the very busy periods. This year this included trialling managing the number of people using the beach and returning it to a place for families and children to paddle.
This year we conducted a short survey on the paddling beach asking users for their feedback on the online booking system and their visit. The feedback from the majority of visitors was overwhelmingly positive: visitors to the beach gave their experience 4.8 stars out of 5. The majority of respondents commented on enjoying the space, the calm, the cleanliness and being able to see the children in the water clearly.
We know that the mediocre weather this year may have put off some visitors so our intention is to run it for a second year and see if it continues to help make the park run smoothly. Currently this would only be during the six weeks of the summer holidays, but in the past there have been issues as early as Easter and May half term. By having the infrastructure in place, we hope to be able to react early if we problems start to arise.
We will try to refine the system by reviewing the number of people per session and the opening and closing times.
No. There is no intention to charge for the paddling beach or Dinosaur Island.
Sessions for the paddling beach will remain free.
There has been a long history of using temporary support staff to meet demands of managing Southwater Country Park at busy times. Money for the additional summer support staff is generated via the car park income.
There is no charge for the booking system as this is already used by Horsham District Council.
Yes, outside of peak periods. Dogs will not be permitted on the beach during the booked sessions.
Outside of peak periods, the gate will remain open and access to the beach is open to all.