CHESHIRE East Council has yet to make a decision on whether a £6m outdoor adventure park will be created in the borough despite reports in a Norfolk-based newspaper.

BeWILDerwood, which already has a similar park operating in Norfolk, wants to open its second site at Tatton Park.

On Monday a report in the Norwich Evening News quoted Tom Blofeld, owner of the company wanting to build the park, as saying “To have got planning permission agreed is one of the greatest achievements we have pulled off. We have got the full team in place and are champing at the bit to get the park up.”

Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, has decided not to ‘call in’ the planning application for the project.

This means that planning permission would be granted subject to the successful completion of a section 106 agreement, under which the operator must accept certain conditions, a stage that is yet to be completed.

However, the decision to proceed may still depend on whether Cheshire East Council, which leases the Tatton Park Estate from the National Trust, agrees to provide a loan to the company behind the project.

Clr Peter Raynes, the council’s cabinet member in charge of finance, said: “This depends on an updated business case from the operators, which will tell us whether the scheme still delivers a sound return on public money and supports Tatton Park adequately.

“No further money is being spent by CEC on the project until we are sure the return is there.

“We are reviewing our capital programme at the moment and Bewilderwood will be considered alongside our other ambitions, which include the development of Alderley Park as a hub for the life science sector and investment in recycling technology and to reduce our landfill bill, among others.

“A decision will need to be taken as part of our budget preparation.”

Under the business plan, its revenues would be one of a number of measures enabling Cheshire East Council to reduce its £400,000 funding of Tatton Park to zero by 2017/18.

Investment to date has already reduced the operational costs from around £1m while protecting the park’s £9m per year contribution to the local economy.