Application submitted for £1.6m watersports centre in quarry
Cheshire Lakes Community Interest Company has submitted an application for a new watersports and outdoor activity centre at the former Hanson Quarry in Chelford, Cheshire.
The proposal is to use two existing lakes, created as part of the quarry’s restoration plan following its closure. The North Lake will house a wire pulley system to enable wakeboarding, as well as an aerial activity course. The South Lake will be used for open water swimming, paddle boarding and canoeing.
The site covers 55 acres. The clubhouse will be 4,950 sq ft, extending to 9,200 sq ft when external decking is included.
Tim Woodhead, managing director of Cheshire Lakes CIC, said: “we are delighted to have our application in and running. This follows extensive and hugely positive public engagement and detailed discussions with Cheshire East Council, particularly its Rural Investment Team. If approved, this will form our third facility, alongside our existing operations in Liverpool city centre [wakeboarding at Albert Dock] and at Fox Lake, outside Edinburgh.
“The proposals will create 30 jobs, which we hope to fill from the local area. We have been looking for a site in Cheshire, where we are based, for some time. The location and configuration of the Chelford site are ideal for us, hence we have pushed forward at pace.”
Jonathan Vose, director of Walsingham Planning, advising, said: “Without question, this project has had the greatest level of public support and excitement of anything I have worked on. The synergy of completing the site’s restoration by delivering a hugely beneficial end use represents an ideal planning outcome and we look forward to working further with the council to enable the application’s approval.”
It is intended that the site will be fully operational in spring 2017 and will be open all year-round.
Walsingham Planning has submitted the application and acted as lead consultant, working alongside AECOM, Campbell Reith, FOB Design UK and Urban Green.
