Campaigners fear traffic impact as plans lodged for Bolsover water park
Bolsover District Council has confirmed that it has received a planning application for an indoor water park near Clowne
Campaigners are continuing to share concerns that a newly submitted planning application for a water park resort near a Derbyshire village could pose a joint increased traffic impact on the environment combined with separate plans for a massive housing scheme.
Bolsover District Council has confirmed that it has received a planning application for Great Wolf Resorts’ scheme for an indoor water park and resort on land south of Worksop Road, on the edge of Clowne, while the authority is also close to finalising developer Waystone Ltd’s approved outline planning permission for the 1,800 home housing scheme Clowne Garden Village.
Council Leader, Cllr Jane Yates, said: “We have got the planning application to go before the planning committee in the near future. They will have to look at infrastructure.”
Clowne Garden Village Action Group campaigners – opposed to the housing scheme with concerns about overcrowding, the impact on highways and the environment, flooding and the loss of some Green Belt land – fear any additional developments including the water park could have a further combined detrimental effect for the region’s highways and environment.
The proposal for a Great Wolf Lodge holiday water park resort planned on 19.3hectares of agricultural land could feature a 512-bedroom hotel, a water park, an adventure park, conference facilities, and other leisure offerings previously stipulated as possibly mini-golf, mini-bowling, rope course, games arcade and a selection of restaurants, cafes and bars all subject to the planning process.
Great Wolf Resorts is described as North America’s leading brand for family resorts that offer indoor water parks, family dining and other attractions and it is hoped the proposed development near Clowne may create about 600 jobs and attract visitors to the area with possible ‘day passes’ previously proposed for residents so they can access facilities without having to book accommodation.
Planning documents stated the scheme has the potential to result in significant direct investment in the area and to serve as a positive catalyst for future development.
Great Wolf Resorts has also said that the scheme could deliver significant economic, social and environmental benefits for the area and it estimates that the increased number of visitors if the proposed development gets the go-ahead would lead to £1m of additional spend per year to the area.
But Clowne Garden Village Action Group Chairperson Dom Webb has said it is right to question the choice of location under the circumstances.
Campaigners have already argued a proposed Treble Bob roundabout scheme may not be enough to cope with thousands of new motorists from the Clowne Garden Village or with any additional developments from nearby Creswell which some believe could have a combined detrimental effect for the region’s highways.
The Treble Bob Roundabout – named after the nearby Harvester Treble Bob restaurant – is off Oxcroft Way, the A619 Chesterfield Road, and the A616 to Junction 30 of the M1 motorway, and it sees busy traffic movements between Clowne and Barlborough and the M1 motorway and some already regard it as dangerous.
Improvement plans for the Treble Bob roundabout, according to Derbyshire County Council’s highways authority, have been agreed in relation to the Clowne Garden Village with National Highways who are responsible for the highway network including Junction 30 of the M1 motorway which will also be subject to a new scheme and travel plan.
Derbyshire County Council, as a statutory consultant, will be able to consider any highways and traffic concerns and will be able to highlight any issues, offer guidance and recommendations or even raise objections if necessary.
Great Wolf has stressed its plans for a resort near Clowne have nothing to do with Clowne Garden Village and it is not reliant on the housing scheme.
And despite concerns that such developments may create traffic like those associated with other resort parks, Great Wolf stated this will not be the case as guests tend to arrive gradually at different times rather than all together.
A Great Wolf spokesperson has stated it has been exploring opportunities to expand its signature Great Wolf Lodge indoor water park resort experience beyond North America and it is excited by the growth potential within the UK market.
However, campaigners still suspect plans for a nearby water park resort in Derbyshire have been influenced by the approved Clowne Village Garden scheme.
They still fear the two projects may lead to combined environmental impacts with an increase in traffic despite a recent legal finding prior to the submission of an application that there was no need for the council to assess the cumulative impact of the proposed water park when considering the Clowne Garden Village plans as a judge refused a judicial review into the housing scheme.
But the Clowne Garden Village Action Group campaigners fear additional developments including the water park, as well as others at nearby Creswell, could have a combined detrimental effect for the region’s highways and environment which is why Clowne Garden Village Action Group Chairperson Dom Webb has filed an appeal against the judge’s refusal for a judicial review into the housing scheme.
Bolsover District Council has insisted the timing of the proposed location for a new multi-million pound leisure resort on the outskirts of Clowne has not been influenced by plans for the Clowne Garden Village housing scheme.
A council spokesperson has stated Great Wolf submitted an enquiry liaising with national, regional and local departments of Government, calling for suitable sites and Bolsover District Council and other local authorities submitted sites that met the company’s requirements.
Bolsover District Council Leader, Cllr Yates, recently confirmed that the council is expecting a planning application for the proposed water park to go before the council’s planning committee in the near future.
Great Wolf has been reviewing multiple potential locations in the UK including in Clowne and Hampshire and claims these resorts will provide hundreds of permanent jobs and bring a world-class leisure facility to the region, attracting tourists and investment.
A Great Wolf spokesperson previously said most families will travel from neighbouring areas and stay overnight so its choice of location is more focused on accessibility and is not related to or dependent on the proposed future Clowne Garden Village.
The spokesperson added that its resorts operate like a hotel rather than a traditional British holiday park, with no set change-over-days, arrival or departure times which helps to reduce traffic levels.
Council Leader, Cllr Yates, has said the water park scheme is an exciting project and one of the council’s key priorities is growth with the creation of jobs and this proposal not only meets this but will provide leisure opportunities.
Bolsover District Council has helped publicise three public exhibitions and consultation events into Great Wolf’s plans at venues including Clowne Town Cricket Club in May and Creswell Crags museum and at Whitwell Community Centre in September.
Great Wolf Resorts currently operates over 20 Great Wolf Lodge branded resorts in the United States and Canada, designed around family holidays.