Spa and surf lagoon plans secure approval

Planning permission has been secured for a spa hotel and surf lagoon at Betteshanger Country Park in Kent.The first is for a new hotel and spa submitted by Betteshanger Country Park and the second for a surf lagoon by The Seahive. The hotel and spa and surf lagoon will take up less than 10 per cent of the 231-acre park.The plans aim to secure the future of Betteshanger Country Park, transform the district as a tourism and leisure destination, generate opportunities for jobs and millions in investment while protecting and enhancing nature on the former colliery site.The investment will also play a key part in delivering Wild Betteshanger, with a fully-funded management plan for the park’s wildlife for the very first time, including safeguarding areas away from human disturbance for nature to thrive. It will also help fund a dedicated wildlife warden and the expansion of the schools’ programme.Ben Geering, head of planning for Betteshanger Country Park, said: “This decision is a win for nature and a win for the community. It honours Kent’s mining heritage by securing Betteshanger Park’s future and will boost the district’s economy. By supporting the applications this decision has helped us to save the park for future generations.”Our vision, as it always has been, is to create a country park that provides for everyone in the community while creating hundreds of jobs and transforming Betteshanger into a world class tourism destination – and that is what we intend to deliver.”Jim Storey, founder of The Seahive, added: “In the years that followed the closure of the former mine, the vision for this former spoil tip was for it to be used to encourage regeneration, employment, ecology, heritage, education, and community benefit. Today’s decision marks a turning point for the future of the park, the ecology within it and the health and wellbeing benefits it can provide for the local community – something that I am passionate about.”This will be a world-class destination which puts Kent on the global map. It will not just create jobs and drive inward investment but will also have a material impact on people’s physical and mental wellbeing at a point in time where it has never been more important.”