Decision made on planning approval for Liquid Leisure after Kyra Hill death
An inquest last month found that Kyra was unlawfully killed as a result of ‘gross breaches’ in health and safety at the park
The Liquid Leisure water park where 11-year-old Kyra Hill drowned has been granted planning approval by councillors – despite safety fears about water depth and visibility.
An inquest last month found that Kyra was unlawfully killed as a result of ‘gross breaches’ in health and safety at the park, which also didn’t have planning permission to be used for birthday parties.
Councillors at the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead have now voted to approve ‘reduced’ operations at Liquid Leisure – despite one raising ‘serious concerns’ due to ‘the grave nature of what we know’.
Liquid Leisure only had planning permission to be used for water-skiing and wind surfing.
But a council planning enforcement notice issued to Liquid Leisure on December 21, 2020 accused it of several planning breaches, including the use of the park for parties and children’s play.
Liquid Leisure appealed to the government’s Planning Inspectorate to overturn the notice – but dropped its appeal in September 2022 following Kyra’s death the previous month.
Horton Leisure, which owns the site, then applied for retrospective planning permission for elements including a ‘small aqua park’ in February 2024.
Council planning officers said this would ‘reduce the scale of activities’ and ‘not cause issues relating to public safety provided the correct precautions are carried out’.
But councillor Julian Tisi objected when asked to approve the plans at a development management committee on Thursday, June 5.
He said planning permission should be refused ‘on the grounds of safety to children and the public’.
Councillor Tisi said: “In the coroner’s report it was noted that the diver said that there was almost zero visibility.
“What have we done to ensure that we are satisfied that the water quality is sufficiently good that if someone was to get into trouble again that any diver would be able to see them very quickly, very easily?”
He added: “Depth of water – it was noted that there were very clear drops.
“Has that changed – has anything changed in terms of have they filled in part of the lake, have they changed anything under the water?”
Senior council planning officers Adrian Waite said councillors could only make their decision based on planning rules and policies.
He said concerns about water quality would be better addressed by council health and safety inspectors that through the planning permission process.
He said: “I think those are matters that are operation health and safety things – you would hope that there would be as part of the risk assessment appropriate testing and procedures in place for that.
“I don’t think they’re matters we can control through the planning permission.”
Councillors voted by six to one to approve the application, with councillor Tisi voting against.
However they said a health and safety inspection had to be carried out before the approved uses could commence.