Water-ski plan at Cotswold Water Park sunk by council
A WAVE of opposition has stopped a 'noisy' water-ski plan at Cotswold Water Park.
Seventy-three people and Somerford Keynes Parish Council objected to Watermark Investments' bid for a cable tow on Lake 31 on the Keynes Country Park site, near Cirencester.
They said it would attract rowdy youngsters, shatter the peace, disturb wildlife, increase traffic and look ugly.
Cotswold District Council planning committee agreed with them.
Watermark wanted to put the electronically-powered cable tow and wake board course on a lake in an area used for walking, cycling, boating and fishing.
It would have featured six steel pylons, concrete pads, cables and a floating timber pontoon.
Resident Edward Jenkins said: “The mix of adrenaline and teenage sports are not quiet.
“The cable scheme poses a real threat to the lake.
“There are 267 country parks in England and not one has proposed or installed a cable scheme.”
Coun Clive Bennett (C. Water Park) said locals had already had problems with youngsters.
He said: “A resident complained about noise, loud music, singing and fireworks and it was not an isolated incident.
“Late-evening activities would create a disturbance for local residents.”
Fellow ward member Peter Clarke (LD. Water Park) said: “I've had more objections to this proposal than any other issue in and around the area, including complaints about waste.
“I'm no killjoy and people need to be able to enjoy things like water-skiing but not on this site.
“There may be little noise from the machinery but there will be noise, particularly from youngsters.”
Coun Richard Dickinson (C. Cirencester, Stratton-Whiteway), added: “It's a tranquil lake. I saw a pair of great crested grebes dancing there, some swans and mallards.
“The very thought of an action ski thing in there appalls me.”
But Coun Tony Curry (C. Cirencester, Park) said: “I have great sympathy with people who live there but it is a place of leisure. We could be cutting off our nose to spite our face.”
District council planning officer Mike Napper said there would be little visual impact and it would not operate from October to March.
12 Comments
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by Ben Howells, Cheltenham
Monday, July 28 2008, 7:23PM
“The planning committee have clearly done no real research into existing cable centres to see what they are actually like. Cables are a great, friendly place for people of all ages and definitely don't attract 'rowdy youngsters' and late night vandalism!”
by Ned Morgan, salisbury
Tuesday, July 15 2008, 10:55AM
“The reasons to block this are baseless and unsubstantiated. FACT- less noise than waterskiing behind a boat
FACT- less waste and environmental impact.
FACT- all cablesites I ride at have populations of wildbirds who do not mind the activity.
People are quite happy for all sorts of other development to go ahead which will create more noise and waste. This cable would have bought in more business to the local community and provided activities to keep young kids off the streets. Its blocking smacks of small minded nimbyism.”
by PJM, Manchester
Tuesday, July 15 2008, 7:31AM
“Sheffield Cable Water Ski, located in Rothervalley Country Park. Statement of Edward Jenkins totally false!!!!”
by Esmond Jenkins, Cirencester
Thursday, July 10 2008, 5:55PM
“Residents aren't killjoys! I ski myself , but you guys are missing the point, the Cable ski is great where it is, my family love it, why move it? Its because a very rich developer wants to build more second-homes on the existing site, grebes,bitterns, cyclists, fishermen , families walking around a nature reserve do not meet profit requirements.....get real chaps , this is not about heaping more bad press on teenagers. Its about a Country Park , our park , your park , funded out of our taxes being hived off to a developer via a very dubious back door deal/lease.
Nobody is seeking to deprive anybody of their fun, except that is the developer in question, by duplicating the cable ski, all ages of people lrisked losing their rights of recreation around the proposed lake .”
by Frani W, Cirencester
Thursday, July 03 2008, 3:43PM
“Yeah, i agree with everyone who says that you should go visit the current cable. It is immense, and there is no "noise", only the normal banter. And isn't it better to encourage "youngsters" to get involved in more sport. Also if WMSki were to get another cable, they'd be put on the map globally - increasing tourism and money to the area. What is wrong with that? AND the wildlife love the cable - the ducks and swans are happy swimming around, and the fish are happy too. YOu can't complain with that”