Green Light For Huge Water And Adventure Park In Preston
Planning permission had been granted for a huge new water sports and leisure park in Preston. The Manchester Evening News reports that the development will be close to Preston Marina and the banks of the River Ribble, on the site of the existing Trax Motor Centre.
The development, known as Phoenix Park, will include an artificial lake, a dry ski slope and a mountain biking track. The later stages of the plans will also see a 4G football pitch, a climbing wall, and a high ropes course, if the necessary further planning permission is granted.
Approval has already been obtained for a 14 storey education centre that will provide residential accommodation for younger people as well as learning and leisure facilities. There will also be 13 lodges for post-16 year old students who are gradually leaving the care system with managed support in place.
Committee member Jennifer Mein commented: “It will provide an amazing opportunity for children in care, but also other groups – we haven’t got anything like it. It’s not going to impact on residents.”
Despite concerns that the plans would impact on open countryside, the proposals were voted through unanimously by the committee. It was pointed out that the secluded location of the development meant that very few people would be impacted, and the nature of the landscape would not be adversely affected.
A report prepared for the meeting concluded: “The proposals would not be widely visible given the landscaping retained and proposed at the site and would therefore not have an unacceptable impact on the character of the open countryside.”
It added: “[The site] would not be widely visible given the landscaping retained and proposed at the site and would therefore not have an unacceptable impact on the character of the open countryside. It is considered the balance tips in favour of approving the application.”
“The proposed leisure and sport infrastructure and lodges would be in keeping with the existing development within the wider Trax site, whilst the landscaping proposals offer a significant amount of planting which would enhance the site and offset the loss of existing vegetation.”
Concerns were raised about the proximity of the site to the Ribble Estuary Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSS). However, the planning case officer Jonathan Evans said that Natural England and relevant ecologists had been consulted, and furthermore had reported that the development would not make an unacceptable impact.
The site was previously used for safely managed motorsport, in an effort to combat antisocial behaviour and the irresponsible use of public land for riding motorbikes.
The new site will include a ‘leisure lake’ that will offer mechanical water skiing, kayaking, and other watersports. There will also be two separate ‘beaches’ and the opportunity for open water swimming and fishing.
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