8:40am Wednesday 25th April 2012
By James Wilson
FURIOUS residents have set up an action group in a bid to block plans for an adventure playground in Tatton Park.
Leisure company Bure Valley Adventures Ltd, working with Cheshire East Council, announced in February plans to build ‘BeWILDerwood’, a new outdoor adventure area at Tatton Park.
‘BeWILDerwood’ is aimed at under 12s and some of the attractions are expected to include treehouses, zip wires, jungle bridges, storytelling, boat trips and marsh walks.
The plans were submitted this week to officers at the borough authority but a group of residents have set up STAG (Save Tatton Action Group) aiming to get the plans turned down The group told the Guardian that those who visit the park for peace and tranquillity will be affected if Cheshire East Council gets the go ahead to its proposed plans.
It also said the substantial increase in traffic would affect roads around the region.
A spokesman for the group said: “In complying with the ‘Disneyfication’ of Tatton Park, the National Trust has disregarded the express wishes of Lord Egerton in that ‘this place of historic interest and natural beauty, be permanently preserved for the benefit of the nation’ for the hard cash option.
“Its Director General’s vision in the National Trust Annual Report 2010/11 clearly contradicts the current actions of the trust, ‘we will never turn our outdoor places into giant adventure playgrounds’.
“In the light of its wholehearted approval of this, its members might question their complicity in a scheme which has been described locally as rural vandalism.”
Heather Clawson of Beech Avenue, Mobberley, which is close to where the attraction will be built, said: “All those who live on the east side of Tatton Park will be blighted by a continual noise, with children screaming and playing, within the theme park, not to mention the addition of loud speakers planned for storytelling sessions.
“I dread to think how loud they will have to be in order for visitors to hear over the noise of the planes on the flightpath.”
STAG is trying to raise funds from within the community to get professional, technical and legal help.
A decision on the plans will be made at the Strategic Planning Board of Cheshire East Council on June 20.
For more details about STAG log on to their website at savetattonpark.co.uk or email aitchyc@hotmail.co.uk.
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