Latest news with #AquaParkGroup
BBC News
19-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Vale of Glamorgan council defends Cosmeston aqua park emails
Council bosses have defended comments made in correspondence made public after plans for a controversial water park were given the to the attraction at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, near Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, obtained emails involving the council and Aqua Park Group using the Freedom of Information showed the firm proposed a potential 15-year deal and was told there was an "agreement to move forward with you behind the scenes".But council leader Lis Burnett said no agreement to begin the trial was made before a decision was made by cabinet members in March, and that a suggested 15-year term was at the company's suggestion alone. A council spokesperson also said the comment "moving forward" referred to moving forward with the preparation of a draft heads of terms document and discussions on requirements for water sampling and other operational added that if cabinet members had not given their approval in March, and if Natural Resources Wales had not issued its consent, "discussions would have stopped".The attraction had wanted to relocate after being based in Cardiff Bay since 2019 and includes an inflatable assault course with slides and climbing frames Councillors raised concerns about the emails obtained by the Save Cosmeston and the Vale campaign group during Monday's full council accused the authority of not involving locally-elected representatives and residents sooner as discussions about the scheme went back to it was only in March when the plans were discussed publicly at a council cabinet ward councillor Anthony Ernest said it had been "very badly handled".And Plaid Cymru group leader Ian Johnson said he had "strong concerns" about how quickly it went from being publicised to receiving email from a Vale Council officer to Aqua Park Group on 23 January said there was an agreement for the council to pursue a licence for the company to trial an attraction at Cosmeston Lakes this went on to add that a report on the proposal would need to go before council cabinet members and stated "it will be essential to avoid any sort of publicity about your move before the cabinet report is agreed". Ms Burnett told councillors: "It is entirely normal for staff to have discussions with potential partners to assess feasibility before bringing proposals to cabinet and the council's other committees."This is necessary to allow us to carry out due diligence and risk assessments in the public interest."The aqua park is being trialled until September after which the council will decide whether to consider allowing such an attraction to operate the following season at the country park which has been an official nature reserve since 2013.
The Irish Sun
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
UK's best and biggest inflatable water parks to beat the heatwave as a family
YOU can beat the heat and have an incredible time at these inflatable waterparks around the UK. With slides, inflatable blast bags, family-friendly obstacle courses and the huge free fall slides from just £20 entry too. 8 Cliff Lakes has the biggest obstacle course in the UK Credit: Cliff Lakes 8 The Staffordshire Aqua Park has huge slides and sessions are 80-minute Credit: Thorpe Lakes Cliff Lakes Aqualand, Staffordshire Go big or go home at Across the lake are six separate courses with various challenges such as climbing walls, tunnels, trampolines, and high ropes. The general admission price is £24 per person for an 80-minute session. The price includes a shortie wetsuit (3mm or 5mm) and a buoyancy aid. Read More on Waterparks One happy visitor wrote on "Would recommend to anyone, best time to go is in summer as you do jump into the lake." Aqua Park Group, Rutland Water features the largest collection of bespoke, high-impact water obstacles. The biggest inflatable is at its water park in Most read in Family The giant slide has a 5.5 metre free-fall drop - and is the tallest of its kind in the UK. Across the waterpark is also Tornado Tower, a 3.5 metre inflatable that you can jump off into the lake water below. TUI resort next door to giant waterpark 8 Rutland Mammoth is the UK's tallest inflatable water slide Credit: Aqua Parks Rutland 8 Blast Bags are popular at Aqua Action in Essex Credit: Aqua Action There are blast bags, slides, trampolines and inflatable climbing frames. Visitors must book online before going to Rutland Water and a one hour session costs £21, or, you can book two hours for £31. Other Aqua Parks across the UK include Aqua Park Lakeside and Cosmeston Lake. Aqua Action, Essex It's open until September 28, 2025 and on the lake is a 3.5 metre climbing tower and the two metre high balance beam. There's the highly anticipated and hilarious blast bag, the jumping platforms, and thrilling drop slides and entry is £20 for a one hour session. For the younger ones aged one to eight, there's a puddle park too called Aqua Tots. Kids can jump on the giant turtle, hop on the inflatable swans, and have a good old splash about. Entry to Aqua Tots for children cost £12 and an extra £2 for their accompanying adult. 8 Thorpe Lake Aqua Park is set across a 150 acre lake Credit: Instagram Thorpe Lakes, Surrey It has wobbly balance beams, towering slides, bouncy trampolines, and climbing walls. The only downside to this inflatable Entry cost £20 for 55 minutes of fun, and you get a life jacket included with the option to hire a wetsuit. At Thorpe Lakes, you can also try and with options for lessons for beginners. WHAT IS A HEATWAVE? Since 1960, UK temperatures in June have surpassed 34C in only three years, with the hottest being 35.6C, recorded on June 28 1976. A heatwave in the UK is met when a location records a period of at least three consecutive days, with temperature values meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature thresholds. Across the north and west of the UK this is 25C, and across Greater London and the Home Counties, 28C. 8 The Bewl Water course is in Tunbridge Wells Credit: Aqua Parks Bewlwater 8 There's an inflatable course as well as pedalo hire Credit: Aqua Parks Bewlwater Bewl Water Aqua Park, Tunbridge Wells It has a floating obstacle course with room for jumping, sliding and balancing. Individual tickets cost £25 each for children (between 6-12 years old), teenagers and adults - for 50 minutes. Also on the lake are pedalos for hire, paddleboarding and canoeing are also options. One visitor wrote on Here are the lidos in the UK mapped – with water slides, cocktail bars and some are even FREE to enter. Three of the 8 These are UK's best Aqua Parks Credit: Aqua Action
The Sun
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
UK's best and biggest inflatable water parks to beat the heatwave as a family
YOU can beat the heat and have an incredible time at these inflatable waterparks around the UK. With slides, inflatable blast bags, family-friendly obstacle courses and the huge free fall slides from just £20 entry too. 8 8 Cliff Lakes Aqualand, Staffordshire Go big or go home at Cliff Lakes Aqualand in Staffordshire, which is the biggest aqua park in the UK. Across the lake are six separate courses with various challenges such as climbing walls, tunnels, trampolines, and high ropes. The general admission price is £24 per person for an 80-minute session. The price includes a shortie wetsuit (3mm or 5mm) and a buoyancy aid. One happy visitor wrote on Tripadvisor: "Great day out! So much fun with all the different courses, quite a workout but so worth it. "Would recommend to anyone, best time to go is in summer as you do jump into the lake." Aqua Park Group, Rutland Water Aqua Park Group has three sites across the UK and features the largest collection of bespoke, high-impact water obstacles. The biggest inflatable is at its water park in Rutland Water and it's called the Rutland Mammoth. The giant slide has a 5.5 metre free-fall drop - and is the tallest of its kind in the UK. Across the waterpark is also Tornado Tower, a 3.5 metre inflatable that you can jump off into the lake water below. TUI resort next door to giant waterpark 8 8 There are blast bags, slides, trampolines and inflatable climbing frames. Visitors must book online before going to Rutland Water and a one hour session costs £21, or, you can book two hours for £31. Other Aqua Parks across the UK include Aqua Park Lakeside and Cosmeston Lake. Aqua Action, Essex Aqua Action is a floating aqua park in Ilford, Essex which you can get to via the Elizabeth Line which goes between Shenfield and London Paddington. It's open until September 28, 2025 and on the lake is a 3.5 metre climbing tower and the two metre high balance beam. There's the highly anticipated and hilarious blast bag, the jumping platforms, and thrilling drop slides and entry is £20 for a one hour session. For the younger ones aged one to eight, there's a puddle park too called Aqua Tots. Kids can jump on the giant turtle, hop on the inflatable swans, and have a good old splash about. Entry to Aqua Tots for children cost £12 and an extra £2 for their accompanying adult. 8 Thorpe Lakes, Surrey Thorpe Lakes is known as London's Ultimate Watersports Resort, and is set across 150 acres of lakes - and it has a huge inflatable too. It has wobbly balance beams, towering slides, bouncy trampolines, and climbing walls. The only downside to this inflatable waterpark is that it's only open on weekends. Entry cost £20 for 55 minutes of fun, and you get a life jacket included with the option to hire a wetsuit. WHAT IS A HEATWAVE? Since 1960, UK temperatures in June have surpassed 34C in only three years, with the hottest being 35.6C, recorded on June 28 1976. A heatwave in the UK is met when a location records a period of at least three consecutive days, with temperature values meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature thresholds. Across the north and west of the UK this is 25C, and across Greater London and the Home Counties, 28C. 8 8 Bewl Water Aqua Park, Tunbridge Wells Bewl Water Aqua Park just outside Tunbridge Wells has an enormous Witbit inflatable. It has a floating obstacle course with room for jumping, sliding and balancing. Individual tickets cost £25 each for children (between 6-12 years old), teenagers and adults - for 50 minutes. Also on the lake are pedalos for hire, paddleboarding and canoeing are also options. One visitor wrote on Tripadvisor: "The Aqua Park was AMAZING! The kids loved it and my partner loved it even more. Swimming in the reservoir was just lovely, it was warm and the cool water was so refreshing." Here are the lidos in the UK mapped – with water slides, cocktail bars and some are even FREE to enter. Three of the UK's biggest indoor waterparks with tropical climates and heated infinity pools. 8
BBC News
04-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- BBC News
Cosmeston: New water park will have 'no impact' on wildlife
The owners of water park company who plan to open in a country park have said it will have "no impact to the local wildlife". Aqua Park is set to open the water park at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, near Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan on 5 July. But residents have raised concerns about water quality and the impact it will have on the local wildlife. The country park opened to the public in 1978 and has been an official nature reserve since 2013. The park is a haven for local wildlife and some areas have been designated a site of special scientific interest (SSSI). The attraction has been based in Cardiff Bay for the last five years and includes an inflatable assault course with slides and climbing frames. Earlier this year, the owners said it was unable to operate in the area due to poor water quality. Cardiff Harbour Authority said water quality in Cardiff Bay was "routinely" checked, but increased rainfall and higher river flows in recent summers had increased the number of failed Mott from Aqua Park Group said they have worked with local ecologists who have said the firm was able to operate with no impact to the local wildlife, including the water voles and nesting birds. "That's because we're operating on the eastern lake which is already deemed safe for leisure activities and is already a vibrant hub of activity with regular park runs."On a lovely day like today there are dogs running into the lake going swimming, there's lots of activity already going on on the site," she said. There has been local opposition with an online petition opposing the Aqua Park gaining over four thousand Williams, from Barry, is part of an action group opposing the attraction and believed the plans had not been "thought through". "We feel Cosmeston is a natural reservoir, it has different species living here, like voles which are on the endangered species list and of course all the other creatures. "The biggest problem for wildlife in the UK at the moment is habitat loss. Certain species have been released into Cosmeston to counteract that loss of habitat, and I feel like an aquapark is going to bring disruption for those species that thrive here, in and around the lakes," she said. The Vale of Glamorgan Council described it as an opportunity for the council to generate income for improving the park's Leader Lis Burnett said that the council had made sure that everything had been checked, including gaining permission from Natural Resources Wales. "We know that the environment here is hugely important. So if we thought that there was going to be any impact on that we wouldn't have gone ahead. "People talk about the water voles that are here, they are in a different part of the park," she said. Additional reporting from Jessica Johnson
BBC News
30-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Aqua Park Penarth: Opening date for new water park at Cosmeston
A new water park is set to open this summer, despite concerns being raised for wildlife in the attraction will open at Cosmeston Country Park on 5 July, Vale of Glamorgan Council has announced, after it entered into an agreement with Aqua Park Group to trial a water park during the summer and councillors raised concerns about the plans, but council officials insisted conditions would be in place to protect wildlife and the attraction would be restricted to the eastern side of the water park will be similar to the Aqua Park attraction which used to be at Cardiff Bay, featuring an assault course with inflatable equipment, slides and climbing frames. The attraction was moved because water quality concerns left it "unable to operate" at the council's director of place, Marcus Goldsworthy, said the decision to move the attraction presented an opportunity for the council to generate income for improving park facilities at Cosmeston, according to the Local Democracy Reporting concerns about the impact it could have are ongoing, with a petition opposing the plans gaining 3,965 signatures so a scrutiny committee meeting in March, Conservative councillor Anthony Ernest said the more he heard about plans for the water park, the more concerned he grew about its potential Elliot Penn, a Labour councillor, asked about water quality monitoring on site. Mr Goldsworthy said the water at Cosmeston is tested twice a year to ensure quality is maintained and added the lake has been used for water-based activities in the of Glamorgan Council's cabinet member for sustainable places, Bronwen Brooks, said the water park would be a "great addition to the already fantastic offer at Cosmeston Country Park"."Consultation with residents through the council's placemaking work has shown there is appetite locally - particularly among young people - for more varied leisure activities, and the re-introduction of water-based activities at Cosmeston will help us to ensure that our country parks are for everyone," she the end of September, the council will carry out an evaluation of the water park pilot and decide if it will go out to tender for someone to operate an attraction on the site next year.
