| Good Practice Innovation Sheet |
   |
| Items |
Description |
| 1. WHO |
| Key people and organisations (initiator, leader, partners) |
Coastal and Marine Union EUCC and the Municipality of Katwijk |
| |
| |
| Key Figures |
Surface |
Inhabitants |
Tourism arrivals |
Tourism nights |
| 31.06 km2 |
62,688 |
N/A |
N/A |
| 2. WHY |
| Reason for taking the good practice action |
Along much of the coast of the provinces of North and South Holland the sand dunes provide a buffer against flooding. However, several weak spots, which have very low resistance to flooding, have been identified along this part of the Dutch coast. One of the areas at risk is Katwijk. Although this resort has a secondary barrier behind the dunes, around 3,000 people who live between the two barriers are at high risk of being flooded. The flood defence in Katwijk does not meet the required safety level and it should be strengthened.
Katwijk is a small seaside resort which offers a large variety of activities and amenities. In summer months the beaches of Katwijk get very crowded and the municipality organizes numerous events such as the fishing day, the Tourist Market, rescue demonstrations and the Flowerparade, which attract a large number of visitors. The limited number of parking spaces has also highlighted the need to create good parking facilities close to the beach and the shopping area.
|
| Issues and challenge |
The biggest challenge of this project lies in combining coastal protection with the construction of an underground car park under the dunes. This combination is unique in the Netherlands and it requires intensive cooperation between the authorities involved: the municipality, the Water Authority, the county and the country. In addition, the primary sea defence has to have sufficient height to protect the hinterland while at the same time allow the view from the boulevard. Different alternatives were proposed to reinforce this part of the coast. The construction of a dike into the dunes was selected as the best option for Katwijk. The parking garage shouldn’t have any influence on safety, and entries and exits should connect to dune passes and to the Bouldevard. The challenge for Katwijk when executing the project is to make sure that, also while building the dike, the dunes and the parking garage will remain open for both residents and visitors. |
| 3. HOW |
| Methods /steps / tools used (to develop the good practice) |
In order to provide a solution to the twin problems of parking space and safety from the sea to the village of Katwijk it was decided to build a dike into the dunes and integrate a parking structure in the area behind the new dike. This solution has been considered to be robust and durable in terms of coastal protection. In addition, this coastal defence system does not block views of the sea from the boulevard, and the underground car park allows more space for recreation and nature. |
| 4. RESULT |
| Specific/measurable results, benefits |
The relevant authorities have managed to create a win-win situation by using an integrated multifunctional approach to coastal development. This multifunctional flood-defence not only reduces the likelihood of flooding in Katwijk but it also confers many other benefits to the area. By constructing a car park under the dunes, people can place their vehicles close to the beach and the commercial area. They do not have to waste time in looking for a car park and they can leave their car into a safe place. This is a good solution to make more space available on the streets for nature and recreation, thus enhancing the quality of life of their residents, boosting local businesses and increasing the value of the city environment. This initiative contributes to make Katwijk not only a safer but also a more enjoyable and liveable place, while the unique character of Katwijk is preserved. |
| Recognitions (e.g. awards) |
QualityCoast Bronze Award 2013 |
| 5. REFLECTION |
| Lessons learned |
A significant contribution to the success of the project is the intensive and effective cooperation between the relevant authorities. From the very beginning of the project all stakeholders were fully involved to align their opinions, interests, concerns and priorities. |
| Challenges met |
The combination of coastal reinforcement and the construction of a parking lot is an unique and innovative project. This concept can be transferred to other coastal towns. |
| Critical success factors |
|
| 6. MORE |
| web-references, documents |
www.katwijk.nl |
Katwijk (NL)
