Tourists could soon be flocking to Ashford with buckets and spades if draft plans for a water sports centre with a man-made beach get the go-ahead.A scheme including a sandy beach, boat house, sailing facilities and a restaurant at the Conningbrook Lake in Willesborough has been put forward as one of three new parks to be created outside the town centre.
The plans for the three parks have been laid out in the core strategy of the Local Development Framework, meeting a need for the amount of public open space to increase by 900 hectares in the next 20 years.
The lake behind the Julie Rose Stadium in Kennington Road has been earmarked as an area with potential for water sports by Ashford Borough Council.Owners and aggregates company, the Brett Group, who began quarrying the site for sand and gravel in 1979, said their plans were to develop and restore the quarry so it could be used for leisure activities.The company's development manager Mike Courts said: "We're proposing more water-based recreation such us fishing and sailing and we're waiting for that restoration scheme to be finally approved."
The scheme notes that for the lake to become a water sports facility of regional significance it would need works to make it longer and deeper costing about £2million.The estimated cost of creating sufficient access to the lake is at least £730,000 and utilities, including a sewage system, would cost in the region of £545,000 to £1million.
Ashford's Future, the group responsible for overseeing the future development of the town, is conducting public research to get people's views on what facilities the lake and parks should offer.Ashford council spokesman Sinead Mason said: "It's very early days but the strategic parks are part of a future plan we're looking at. This isn't an official public consultation, Ashford's Future just want to know what people would like to see in the parks."
The other proposed parks, which will all be comparable in size to the Royal parks in London, include the Discovery Park at Chilmington Green, a family-orientated park incorporating the Singleton Environment Centre, sports field, formal gardens, play park and an organic farm and arts centre.
The third, the Stour Riverside Park, in south east Ashford will follow the Stour River and focus on nature walks and activities that encourage biodiversity.The parks will be connected by a 'green necklace' of open spaces around the town, including cycle paths and bridle ways.