North Sea health resort Büsum holistic local tourism development 2009 - 2014

Competition for holistic local tourism development

Planning: 2009 - 2011
Size of project: entire municipality

1st prize in the competition of the Ministry of Economics.
In addition to the presentation of the location profile and the target group definition, the experience areas Wadden Sea, water edge, town centre and harbour as well as municipality-wide, complementary measures were shown and expanded with visions and plans, with the aim of establishing Büsum as a gateway to the Wadden Sea World Heritage Site and as an experience destination for "Best Ager" and "New Families".

Project process
Even the creation of the project outline was embedded in several public events on the design of Büsum's water's edge. The concept development was accompanied by a steering group, furthermore a public event in Büsum and a workshop with members of the political parties in three working groups took place.

Spring 2009: Invitation to tender for the competition
Mid 2009: Preparation of the project sketch with accompanying citizens' workshops
November 2009: Awarding of the winners
Since August 2010: Processing of the concept
Spring 2011: Interim presentation at the 3rd Tourism Day Büsum
May 2011: Completion of the concept.

Citizen participation dike design - occasion, process overview

Participation procedure for the reinforcement of the dike in the North Sea spa Büsum,
with 6 participation stages from April to November 2009.

Short description:
Structuring and moderation of a public participation procedure in connection with the dike reinforcement necessary for coastal protection reasons. Interest-oriented work resulting in a consensual concept for the design of the dike for tourism purposes and for the course of the construction measures. Combination of public events with over 120 people, smaller working groups and individual discussions with actors and stakeholders as well as monitoring of the further planning process.

Event:
- Reinforcement of the dike in the North Sea spa resort of Büsum
- Spring 2009: the State Office for Coastal Protection informs the municipality:
"For reasons of coastal protection, the dike must be reinforced!"

First misinformation leads to concern in the town:
"The dike will be raised!"
The landlords and hoteliers as well as the citizens fear an impairment of the tourist attractiveness of the place.
- The local government additionally fears protests and actions against the coastal protection measures.


Process sequence:
There were altogether 6 participation stages

Stage 1 - April 2009:
"Openness for a "different" procedure, coordination of interests on the procedure level ."

Stage 2 - 18. May 2009:
"Ensuring the same level of information, all should feel they are taken seriously, clarification of issues, clarity about the following steps."

Stage 3 - May - June 2009:
"Ensuring understanding, clarification of wishes and interests."

Stage 4 - June - July 2009:
"Ensuring understanding, clarifying wishes and interests."

Stage 5 - 10/07/2009:
"Openness, talking to each other - listening to each other, focusing on interests, understanding each other, evaluating options for solutions."

Stage 6 - 19/11/2009
"Outcome meeting at the spa centre."

Citizen participation dike design - Press

Quote BüsumPR on the public participation process 2009:

"The dike reinforcement will be an enormous tourist PLUS for Büsum."

"Around 150 visitors came to the event on the evening of 19.11.2009 .... The commissioned landscape architecture office Seebauer, Wefers und Partner GbR presented the current status of the results of the cooperation between the "Landesbetrieb für Küstenschutz, Nationalpark und Meeresschutz Schleswig-Holstein (LKN)", the political committees, the requirements of the state of Schleswig-Holstein and the wishes and suggestions from the population of Büsum."

Citizen participation dike design - explanation of the 6 steps

Participation procedure for the reinforcement of the dyke in the North Sea spa Büsum
with 6 participation stages from April to November 2009.

Stage 1 - April 2009:
"Openness for a "different" procedure, coordination of interests at the procedural level."

- In discussions with representatives of politics and administration, it is worked out that the citizens should be involved in the dyke design.
- Everyone should receive the same level of information.
- The wishes and needs of the citizens and their guests should be recognized and taken into account.
- Development and coordination of an appropriate procedural structure that takes into account the needs of the citizens within the process.

Stage 2 - 18. May 2009:
"Ensure the same level of information, everyone should feel they are being taken seriously, clarification of issues, clarity on next steps."

- After widespread invitation, nearly 100 citizens attend a public information meeting at the resort center.
- The State Office of Coastal Protection explains, "What needs to be changed on the dike from a coastal protection perspective?"
- Participants are asked, "What issues need to be addressed in this regard?"
- Sifting through and collecting concerns and attitudes.
- Everything is recorded - visualized - and documented.

Stage 3 - May - June 2009:
"Ensuring understanding, specifying desires and interests."

- Numerous one-on-one conversations and many small roundtable discussions.
- Targeted inquiries of stakeholders:
"What is important to you in the redesign of the dike?"
"What is particularly important to you?"

Stage 4 - June - July 2009:
"Ensuring understanding, specifying wishes and interests."

- Evaluation of wishes and needs.
- Ongoing exchange between the State Office for Coastal Protection and planners from the municipality.
- Development of initial solution approaches.
- As a basis for evaluation by citizens during the IdeasWorkshop.
- Structuring and preparation of the IdeasWorkshop.

Stage 5 - 10.07.2009:
"Openness, talking to each other - listening to each other, focusing on interests, mutual understanding, evaluations of solution options."

- The whole spa centre was one big workshop.
- 150 participants had the opportunity to contribute their interests and ideas to each topic area.
- Key questions of the evening:
"What is particularly important to you in the redesign of the Büsum dyke?"
"How do you evaluate the possible solutions so far?"
- At the end there were almost exclusively optimistic faces regarding the further steps in the process.

Stage 6 - 19.11.2009
Results event in the spa centre:
"Great satisfaction of all those involved and affected with the results found together."

- Closing event in the spa centre, sustained applause at the end of the evening.
- All present are satisfied with the results presented for the levee design.

Holistic local tourism development - overview of core measures

Wadden Sea Experience
- Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea World Heritage
- good, extensive offers for natural history tours
- accesses will be improved and barrier-free
- circular paths in the mudflats

experience area town centre
- stage transitions and create new ones
- improve the connection to the harbour promenade
- visually open up green spaces in the town
- strengthen historic spaces in the town
- increase the quality of stay in street areas
- qualify the gastronomic offer

experience area water's edge

- tide-independent water areas
- improve the quality of stay in street areas
- qualify the gastronomic offer

- water's edge experience area (Perlebucht)
- tide-independent water areas
- water areas for kiting and surfing
- own water pool for swimmers
- upgrading of sand areas
- design for diverse uses
- attractive offers for families
- Storm surge-proof areas during the season

Experience area water's edge (dike)
- Opening of the dike promenade without entrance
- Optimization of the connections to the town
- Improvement of the barrier-free development
- Construction of service- and information points
- construction of designed seating areas
- new grandstand on the mudflats at the main beach
- mobile gastronomic offer

Design of the water's edge - Perlebucht family lagoon

Planning: 2009 - 2012
LP 1 - 9: Seebauer | Wefers und Partner GbR
Construction period: 2012 - 2013
Construction costs: € 6.4 million (ZPW, Active Region funded)

Design "Sand Beach Perlebucht":
In spring 2012, the 1st phase of the "Project Water Edge" began here. The artificial island in Perlebucht is being extensively restructured into a "family and adventure lagoon".

Design of the water's edge - dike design

Planning: 2009 - 2013
LP 1 - 9: Seebauer | Wefers und Partner GbR
Construction period: 2013 - 2014
Construction costs: € 7.0 million (partly ZPW funded)

Dike design:
A newly designed, widened promenade with crossings and squares will be created over a total length of 2.5 kilometres. In addition, barrier-free stairways will be created. The centerpiece will be the large mudflat grandstand on the main beach.

back to overview

1. Competition for holistic local tourism development
2. Citizen participation dike design - occasion, process overview
3. Citizen participation dike design - Press
4. Citizen participation dike design - explanation of the 6 steps
5. Holistic local tourism development - overview of core measures
6. Design of the water's edge - Perlebucht family lagoon
7. Design of the water's edge - dike design