Latest news with #HuntingdonshireDistrictCouncil
The Irish Sun
18-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Abandoned UK lido is being transformed into £795,000 splash park with incredible aqua tent, hydro blast & water arch
A UK town is set to gain a new £795,000 splash park after an abandoned lido was earmarked for regeneration. The new play area - built on the site of the former St Neots Lido in Advertisement 5 The new waterpark will feature a number of jets alongside an aqua tent, hydro blast, and water arch Credit: St Neots Town Council 5 Work has already begun on construction of the £795,000 project Credit: St Neots Town Council 5 It is due to open to the public just before summer next year Credit: St Neots Town Council St Neots Lido closed down in 2003, after operating for 42 years, and was filled in two years later. Laying empty since, the site - next to the popular Priory Park in the town - has finally seen action, with work beginning to build the new aqua park. The new outdoor water space will feature a hydro blast - which shoots up a tall stream of water - alongside an aqua tent, where water flows in a dome, and a water arch. There are also plans to put in a mixture of other jets for visitors. Advertisement Read More on Travel News Councillor Richard Slade, mayor and chair of St Neots Town Council said: "This is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when the community and council work together. "We're proud to support a project that will bring joy to generations of local families." Plans had first been submitted back in 2022 to Huntingdonshire District Council but were finally kicked into gear following a "significant" grant from the town council. The new park will be built by St Neots Aquatic and Leisure CIO. Advertisement Most read in News Travel Mick Marks, chair of the CIO said: "This isn't just a splash park, it's a promise kept to the families of St Neots. "We've worked tirelessly to bring this to life, and we're thrilled to see it finally taking shape." The beautiful lake an hour from London with overwater bungalows like the Maldives He said that construction will now begin on a "vibrant, inclusive water play space". The new park is due to open in time for summer next year. Advertisement This comes after The Sun revealed how one of the UK's largest outdoor waterparks was Located just 12 miles away from Nottingham city centre, Wheelgate Park is home to countless fun twisting slides and even a tipping bucket. In the There are towers to climb too, with water spraying from them. Advertisement UK days out cheaper than a pint THERE are a number of days out across the UK that can be found for cheaper than your average UK pint costing £5.17. Museums and Galleries: Many major museums and galleries across the UK Beaches: The UK boasts hundreds of free, incredible beaches perfect for swimming, sandcastles, or scenic walks. Gardens and Parks: Explore numerous free gardens and parks nationwide, often featuring extensive grounds and play areas. Lidos: Many lidos offer affordable swimming, with some even providing free access. Vue Cinemas: Catch the latest films for less with 'Mighty Morning' sessions and 'Big Shorts' screenings, starting from under £3. Crazy Golf: Enjoy a fun and competitive family activity at local courses, often available for as little as £2 per player. Animal Sanctuaries and Animal Activities: Visit free animal sanctuaries or participate in complimentary pet-related workshops at places like Pets at Home. Arcades: Spend some time collecting pennies and trying to win prizes at local arcades, with games costing as little as £1. School Holiday Programmes: Access free or subsidised activities for children through initiatives like the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme or local leisure centre offerings. Nature Walks: Discover beautiful National Parks and walking trails across the UK for a free and refreshing outdoor experience For parents watching on, there are sun loungers to relax on as well. For dry play, there is a huge wooden adventure playground to explore. And then inside, the attraction also has two indoor play centres which include frames, toddler zones, mirror mazes and themed adventure zones - and even a bouncy castle. For little ones under six-years-old, there is a mini play jungle to clamber through. Advertisement On the other hand, bigger kids can get active on the King-on Crater climbing wall. Families can also get up close and personal with small animals and farm animals including pigs and rabbits. 5 An artist's impression of the new waterpark at St Neots Credit: St Neots Town Council 5 The project received the green light after earning 'significant' grant from the town council Credit: St Neots Town Council Advertisement
BBC News
02-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Plans for 90 new homes on farmland near Bluntisham
Farmland on the edge of a village could be turned into a new housing development.A developer has said it hopes to build up to 90 homes on the site off Colne Road to the north of Bluntisham, Cambridgeshire.R2 Developments Limited has submitted an environmental impact assessment screening request to Huntingdonshire District Council, ahead of any potential planning application.A previous outline planning application for 135 homes on the site was submitted in 2017 but later withdrawn in 2019. The site was also put forward to potentially be included in the district council's new local plan as a location for new district council's assessment of the site suggested it could be suitable for up to 86 homes, in order for it to be a "very low density" outline application at this stage means full details of the plans would not be presented until a later date.A more detailed application would then need to be submitted and approved before any homes could be built. This article was written by a trusted journalist and then edited for length and style with the help of AI, before being checked again by a BBC Journalist. It's part of a pilot. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
20-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Public asked for views on Cambridgeshire councils shake-up
People are being asked for their views on "the biggest shake-up of local government since the 1970s", as seven councils options have been identified for creating new unitary councils across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough from April follows a national government requirement to replace the current district, county and city councils with simpler unitary councils.A consultation has begun, including a survey and focus groups, to find out what matters most to local people and where they have the greatest connection. The options include merging councils in a north-west and south-east grouping, a north and south grouping, or an east and west leaders said in a joint statement: "The three options each contain two new unitary councils that would cover the entire Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area and replace all existing local authorities."The statement was issued by the leaders at East Cambridgeshire District Council, Fenland District Council, Huntingdonshire District Council, Cambridge City Council, Cambridgeshire County Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council and Peterborough City Council. The councils said they wanted to hear about "the connections that people feel they have to different areas", such as where they work, socialise or receive consultation also asks what priorities people expect from the new unitary authorities, and "what is important to them when dealing with local government".It is not just targeted at individual households but also businesses, community groups and town and parish final decisions on which new local government structures are put into place in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough will ultimately be made by national government. Anna Bailey, leader of East Cambridgeshire District Council, urged people to have their say."Councils in Cambridgeshire are facing the biggest change to local government in over 50 years," she said."While I very much support the idea of unitary councils, where residents can access all services from one council instead of two, I do not support the government's move to larger, more remote structures"We must make sure we do not take the 'local' out of local government."I would therefore urge all our residents, community groups, businesses, and everybody we work with, and for, to share their views and help us shape what the future looks like for our district." Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Daily Mail
27-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Wedding business owner 'forced to destroy couples' dreams' after local council refused retrospective planning permission
A devastated entrepreneurial couple have described how they had to 'destroy a lot of couple's dreams' after shutting down their outdoor wedding event business because of a council's concerns about a tiny medieval moat. Katy and Joe Bird founded Hardwick Moat Weddings in Cambridgeshire, which won five-star reviews for the 'romantic' events it staged at its 'beautiful venue' in meadows once grazed by cattle. But they have now dissolved the company and contacted shattered brides and grooms to cancel their bookings after the local planning authority complained it threatened the water feature it described as 'potentially comparable to nationally significant scheduled monuments'. Examples of the 20,000 scheduled monuments on the National Heritage List for England include the Cruise missile shelter at Greenham Common Airbase and Kits Coty House, a Neolithic long barrow in Kent. Huntingdonshire District Council also claimed heavy machinery had been used on the site and that there were light, noise pollution and traffic issues – all of which Mr and Mrs Bird emphatically dispute. They could have appealed against the decision by Huntingdonshire District Council but gave up after spending £15,000 on reports they insist proved their case. The loss of the business has also cost £100,000 to the local economy, as they used suppliers sourced from a ten-mile radius of the venue in Tilbrook. 'They made their minds up that they didn't want to work with us, even though we jumped through every single hoop,' said Mrs Bird, 37. 'They just kept throwing something new at us, often at the last minute. 'We've cancelled three bookings in 2026 and stopped taking new bookings because we were so scared we'd have to let other brides and grooms down. We've probably had 20 weddings we had to say no to. 'I cancelled one wedding face to face and the other two were in phone calls. They were devastated. 'One bride had chosen the venue two years ago. She'd already been to suppliers and had to cancel them and lose the deposits.' The couple set up their business in 2021 after holding their own wedding that year at the four-acre site, which was used for grazing cattle until a few years earlier. More recently wheat has been grown there. Set in rolling countryside with stunning views, they set up a marquee in one field and organised glamping in a neighbouring meadow for a memorable night under the stars for the happy couple and their guests. Just 12 events took place each year under a temporary licence, during which a maximum of 150 people would be transported between the site and a car park by an old Ferguson tractor with a trailer on the back. But they hadn't realised planning permission was needed as it was on private land and were stunned when the council said the business it could affect the archaeological remains of the medieval moat, which still has water running through it, and risked 'diluting the rural character of the area'. In their application, Mr and Mrs Bird stated any potential impact on archaeological remains could be 'ruled out' as no significant ground invasive works had been undertaken. They also commissioned a series of reports, including wildlife, light, noise and highways studies, to show it wouldn't have a detrimental effect for the area. The impact on the local environment was 'minimal', they claimed, as the marquee went up in April and was taken down in September, while bell tents in the glamping area were erected on the Friday of wedding weekends and removed on the Sunday. Other evidence included the average wedding having 80 guests during the day and an additional 20 in the evening. 'The proposal represents farm diversification for the landowner, providing an additional income stream to the farm, and offers substantial economic benefits to the local economy,' the application stated. But the council said heavy machinery had been used at the spot and works included 'reshaping of the moat'. De-turfing to lay paths and using heavy equipment on a sensitive archaeological could have an impact, it added. 'The proposed development would dilute the rural character of the area through the introduction of incongruous and intrusive hard edges in the countryside and weaken the visual gap between the village of Tilbrook and the rural countryside,' it concluded. Mother-of-five Mrs Bird, whose 38-year-old husband runs a separate events firm, denied the claims, saying: 'The main marquee goes up on what was a ploughed field for about 100 years. 'The moat was full of old brambles and fallen down elderflower trees which we cleared before raking the ground and hand-seeding grass. We didn't remove any trees.' No machinery was used on the site, she added, and the tractor operated on the opposite side of the field from the moat. A small steel-beamed bridge over the water feature to allow people to move from the marquee to their tents was transported there in her husband's van and put in place with the help of four men. Mrs Bird also pointed out the site was in a dip in the land which meant it 'couldn't be seen' from the nearby village and festoon LED lights were slung just 6.5ft above the ground to avoid it affecting the surround area and were used for a maximum of 48 hours every year. The trader who supplied the bell tents for guests to stay overnight estimates he has been left with a shortfall of up to £20,000 'The council never came to visit us on any occasion. I asked multiple times for people from the council to come,' said Mrs Bird, who has now started an independent funeral director service in nearby St Neots. She and her husband could have appealed against the latest decision but decided not to as the legal battle had drained the company's resources. Andrew Brodie, 73, the farmer whose land the Birds used, said he was surprised the moat had been compared to a listed monument as medieval moated farmsteads were 'not uncommon' as they were created to pen in cattle and provide them with water and his had even been dredged in the distant past. He added: 'It's been government policy for farming to diversify. From my point of view, it's an ideal diversification because it's out of the way and didn't disturb anyone. I've never had anyone complain to me.' The couple were also backed by disappointed local suppliers including Dawson Nixon, who provided the bell tents through his firm Pitched Perfect Events. He complained the council ruling was 'an absolute travesty' that had personally cost him £15-20,000 in turnover each year. 'They are literally 15 minutes down the road from me and it was a pleasure working with them,' he said. 'The venue was amazing and they didn't ask for any commission, while other people want 20 per cent commission. They weren't interested – they just wanted the best local suppliers. They created a really good vibe.'
BBC News
18-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Renovations begin on Priory Centre in St Neots
Construction work has started to renovate a building that was losing £300,000 Priory Centre is being renovated as part of a £15m investment to revamp the centre of St Neots, Cambridgeshire's largest market community space, built on a former brewery site in the 1980s, had been running at a commercial loss, said owners St Neots Town with Huntingdonshire District Council, it has led the project, which the authorities said "will give this much-loved venue a bold new future at the heart of the town." A "comprehensive refurbishment" of the centre was proposed at a district council committee meeting in was to be delivered alongside the regeneration of the town's Market Square, funded by bodies including Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, Huntingdonshire District Council, Cambridgeshire County Council and National plans for the Priory Centre aim to enhance community use, and encourage increased private hire, with facilities including a bar and cafe bistro and new town council space was previously used by community groups and could be hired for conferences or Korolev, project delivery manager with the town council, said the renovated centre could have its name changed and would likely be open for early autumn 2026."We believe the new Priory Centre will provide everything anyone in the town might need and we do hope people will spend a lot of time there," he said. Liz Owen, founder of Access in St Neots, spent three years campaigning for a Changing Places accessible facility in the town. She celebrated the installation of the accessible unisex toilet at Riverside Park car park last year and said it was "exciting" to hear a similar facility would be built into the new Priory facility is larger than a regular toilet and has equipment, including a changing bench and hoist, designed to support disabled people who need Owen said the town council had supported her cause to make the area more accessible and believed the new centre would be "absolutely amazing". Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
