Water park expansion plans set for approval – Insider Media


Water park expansion plans set for approval

Plans to expand a water sports facility in North Yorkshire look set to get the go-ahead at a meeting later this week (5 March 2020).

The Dawnay Estate, supported by Edwardson Associates, submitted an application to Scarborough Council towards the end of 2019 for further development at North Yorkshire Water Park at Wykeham Lakes.

Planning permission is sought for three new buildings at the park; a reception, café, and new wetsuit store and lifeguard building.

An inflatable assault course is proposed for the eastern part of the lake, which has previously been in place on a trial basis. The plans also include two wakeboarding lines and parallel floating jetties.

Plans to expand the park were previously approved in 2019. The new application seeks consent for year-round use of the inflatable assault course and wakeboarding facilities.

The proposed development is expected to create jobs at the park, as well as generating benefits for the region’s tourism sector.

The application will go before the council’s planning committee on 5 March and is recommended for approval, subject to conditions, in an officer’s report prepared for the meeting.

The year-round use of the assault course and wakeboarding facilities would be approved on a temporary basis for three years to allow the impact on winter bird populations to be monitored.

The report said: “The proposed expansion of the water-based recreational activity on the site is welcomed, making use of restored mineral workings.

“Nonetheless, this has had to be balanced carefully against other material planning considerations. This particularly applies to the protection of bird populations, notably when they are at their most vulnerable in winter.”

Existing activities on the site include fishing, sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, model yachting and events.

Three timber structures are currently in place for use as an office, wet suit store/life guard shelter and storage, as well as three temporary cabins used as changing rooms, showers and toilets.