Sneak preview of Newhaven waterpark plans (From The Argus)
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Sneak preview of Newhaven waterpark plans
2:22pm Monday 22nd October 2012 in News By Bill Gardner
Sneak preview of Newhaven waterpark plans
This is the first snapshot of the world’s largest waterpark. Developers backed by Middle Eastern investors released an artist’s impression of the giant complex planned for the middle of Newhaven.
The public will be able to pore over the ambitious plans at an exhibition to be held at next week.
Rountable Entertainments, the company behind the scheme, also announced that a plan to build a huge casino in the seaside town has been put on ice.
The company is forecasting 780,000 visitors to the waterpark in its first year, with numbers soaring to over one million in year two.
Roundtable Entertainments managing director Dominic Howson said: “Our relationship with local people is extremely important to us.
“We want to know what people like and don’t like about this scheme. We are very keen to incorporate positive feedback and suggestions from the local community and businesses into the project.”
The artist’s impression shows a giant transparent dome made from the same fluorine-based plastic used in the Eden Project dome in Cornwall.
Inside, the drawing shows a maze of twirling “anti-gravity water slides” designed for families and children.
Vector Foiltec, the company building the dome, will be at the exhibition and will bring samples of the special plastic for people to see.
Other stands will show why the developers chose to build in Newhaven while others will explain the benefits of the scheme.
The exhibition will be held at The Hillcrest Centre on October 30 and 31 from 11am until 8pm.
Roundtable Entertainments is bringing its senior management team, giving local residents the opportunity to meet the CEO, the European director, the architects and the designers.
There will be free Hallowe’en face- painting for children and free tea and coffee at the event.
Comments(33)
Toulous Le Plot
says...
2:40pm Mon 22 Oct 12
cwo1993 wrote:It must have taken a while to draw that 'impression' up. I second you on the BS.
"Roundtable Entertainments" eh? Seeing as this would be one hell of an investment it's funny that nothing can seem to be found online about them. Plus this is hardly the number one place in the UK to place something so extravagant.
I call BS on this one.
Crystal Ball
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3:04pm Mon 22 Oct 12
cvs
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3:50pm Mon 22 Oct 12
Sean Jenkins
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4:40pm Mon 22 Oct 12
monkeymoo
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4:48pm Mon 22 Oct 12
monkeymoo
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4:48pm Mon 22 Oct 12
Roundbill
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4:51pm Mon 22 Oct 12
I don't think Newhaven should hold its breath while waiting for this child's doodle to become a reality. It doesn't help that the Argus (unsurprisingly) appears unable to spell the company's name the same way twice, but I'm assuming it's "Roundtable" rather than "Rountable" Entertainments - in which case it's a decidedly dodgy-looking company, originally known as Avalonlivegame Limited, registered to a maisonette in a residential street in Paisley. It hasn't filed any accounts since it was set up in 2005, and it was dissolved in October 2010.
If I can do this in 10 minutes from my laptop, how come the Argus appear unable to do anything other than regurgitate press releases?
leobrighton
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4:54pm Mon 22 Oct 12
Koala7
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5:25pm Mon 22 Oct 12
Crystal Ball wrote:What a stupid comment to make, why don't you drown yourself???
What about simply flooding Newhaven completely? That would make a great water park.
Ouseler
says...
5:43pm Mon 22 Oct 12
It may be a good idea if he leaves his maisonette, grabs a shovel and has a bit of a dig up the Lewes Road Rec...and get things rollin'
Article.. Kent on line..Paramount park Oct 8th refers..
Lilbee67
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6:45pm Mon 22 Oct 12
Lilbee67
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6:49pm Mon 22 Oct 12
Koala7 wrote:I agree - I live in Newhaven, not the most useful comment.
Crystal Ball wrote:What a stupid comment to make, why don't you drown yourself???
What about simply flooding Newhaven completely? That would make a great water park.
Lilbee67
says...
6:50pm Mon 22 Oct 12
Sean Jenkins wrote:Railway apparently & use of the A26!
How are a million people a year going to get there? There is no main road near it
On_the_Level
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8:02pm Mon 22 Oct 12
SuBratchie
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9:49pm Mon 22 Oct 12
SuBratchie
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9:50pm Mon 22 Oct 12
SuBratchie
says...
9:54pm Mon 22 Oct 12
monkeymoo wrote:I dont think that got scrapped, it got moved to near Peachaven and the Marina, a lot of hard work has gone into this, I hope it isnt scrapped....
As soon as the council approve the plans for something else Rountable entertainment want, they will scrap this idea. Just like they did with the "sunken ship" for divers in Seaford!
monkeymoo
says...
5:53am Tue 23 Oct 12
Roundbill wrote:I also carried out 10 mins of Internet searching. Got to agree with you.... The only (and its limited) information on this company is that it is "dissolved". No accounts filed since 2005!
I waited ages for the "picture" to finish loading, before realising that it had already done so. Seriously, is that the best illustration this shonky "developer" could come up with?
I don't think Newhaven should hold its breath while waiting for this child's doodle to become a reality. It doesn't help that the Argus (unsurprisingly) appears unable to spell the company's name the same way twice, but I'm assuming it's "Roundtable" rather than "Rountable" Entertainments - in which case it's a decidedly dodgy-looking company, originally known as Avalonlivegame Limited, registered to a maisonette in a residential street in Paisley. It hasn't filed any accounts since it was set up in 2005, and it was dissolved in October 2010.
If I can do this in 10 minutes from my laptop, how come the Argus appear unable to do anything other than regurgitate press releases?
Lets hope there will be some answer from LDC about the points we raised here. Even if just to show people this company is for real!
Dr Pork
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7:17am Tue 23 Oct 12
It could well be that, since Roundtable Entertainments was dissolved two years ago, that the name was up for grabs and KEH acquired it in order to publicise a new off-plan development as part of a standard procedure used to boost their share prices. But then it could just be that I'm a cynic. Either way, I do work as a concept illustrator in entertainment design and if I handed in a piece of sub-shoddy artwork like the one accompanying this article I'd be fired faster than you could say "Bill Gardner." By the way, how was your 'visit' to the weed gardener Mr Gardner?
Roundbill
says...
7:55am Tue 23 Oct 12
(a) reply with "Hi Dominic, thanks for sending us this information. It certainly looks like an ambitious and challenging project, and the Argus would be very interested in writing an article on it as it will, no doubt, be of major interest to many of our readers, both in Newhaven and further afield. I'm sure they'd like to know a lot more about both the project itself and the company behind it: perhaps you could mail me back with a bit of a company profile and some stuff about a few of your other developments so we can run a more comprehensive, high-profile feature, as befits such a large-scale concept. Looking forward to hearing from you etc."
or
(b) copypasta the advert onto the Argus website verbatim.
Dr Pork
says...
8:32am Tue 23 Oct 12
Roundbill wrote:hmmm... tough one. Can I phone a friend?
So Bill Gardner received this press release in his inbox did he:
(a) reply with "Hi Dominic, thanks for sending us this information. It certainly looks like an ambitious and challenging project, and the Argus would be very interested in writing an article on it as it will, no doubt, be of major interest to many of our readers, both in Newhaven and further afield. I'm sure they'd like to know a lot more about both the project itself and the company behind it: perhaps you could mail me back with a bit of a company profile and some stuff about a few of your other developments so we can run a more comprehensive, high-profile feature, as befits such a large-scale concept. Looking forward to hearing from you etc."
or
(b) copypasta the advert onto the Argus website verbatim.
Crystal Ball
says...
8:50am Tue 23 Oct 12
Koala7 wrote:Heh heh heh...
Crystal Ball wrote:What a stupid comment to make, why don't you drown yourself???
What about simply flooding Newhaven completely? That would make a great water park.
nocando
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9:47am Tue 23 Oct 12
Tom V
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10:53am Tue 23 Oct 12
They need to look at a more realistic location – if they have any intention of building anything, that is...
Lilbee67
says...
2:52pm Tue 23 Oct 12
nocando wrote:try placing it on the land by the C7 - where the old tip used to be on the old landfill site over 100 acres - apparently with access from A26 - make your own assumptions from that! Or it could be on the other side on the land which is currently vacant by the incinerator !
In the middle of newhaven? Do they mean inside the one way system or will it be over next to the scrapyards, aggregate and concrete suppliers and the incinerator? Or is it the old commercial dockyard site they've got in mind? From when Newhaven actually managed to attract industry.
ShorehamBeachcomber
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6:33pm Wed 24 Oct 12
CllrSteve
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8:17pm Wed 31 Oct 12
We were the first to register our outrage at the way the sale of the Recreation Ground was both announced and rushed through, with the minimum of consultation. We both attended the Public meetings at Lewes Road Hut and Southdown School, organised by Jo Pettit.
We are now the Lib Dem members of the Cross Party Working Group, set up by LDC to oversee the proposals following the decision to sell was made by the Council Leader, James Page. This Group includes 3 Conservative Councillors: Cllr. Rob Blackman (Seaford) and; Cllr. Robbie Robertson (Peacehaven); as well as Cllr Page (Telscombe), as Chair. The remit of the Group is to try and ensure transparency and proper communication to all Members and the public, throughout the process and agree on the consultation systems adopted, so that as many interested parties as possible are properly engaged with.
At the last meeting I assured those present, that Julie and I would commit to doing this and referred to Cllr. Page's promise (and endorsed by the Developers on the night), that 'If the people of Newhaven don't want it, they don't have to have it'.
I made the point that there are many pro's and many con's to the development and that whatever individual Councillors (me included) felt about the proposed scheme, it was the people who should decide.
The points made by the Taxi Driver at the meeting at Southdown, Sue Bratchie at the Lewes Road meeting, on these pages and on her Facebook site, are again their views and the people who chose to speak to them. There is a great deal of anger about the way the scheme has developed thus far: Anger about the lack of consultation before the sale of the Recreation Ground; anger from Councillors like myself, that we weren't consulted as the constitution demands; anger about the loss of amenity land that has been the subject of many previous discussions and proposals relating to development of larger and improved facilities at the site. There is real worry that yet again Newhaven is going to be run roughshod over by a belligerent Council that wishes to push through far-reaching proposals, without the blessing of the Townsfolk who have most to lose. The legacy of the Incinerator debacle and the decision that was taken despite more than 16000 letters of objection, does not make the local people feel confident about promises made in this instance. No one could blame Newhaven for their pessimistic view of the planned consultation.
Cllr. Main makes valid points about the Eastside development plans and I look forward to the chance for these to be brought back to the Planning Committee for re-evaluation soon.
Cllr. Page wrote at length in the Sussex Express last week to set out his plans for Newhaven and commitment to regeneration. The Town Council worked hard to campaign alongside NPP from the outset, to bring the Rampion Wind Farm to the Port, as we recognised it's importance in the Town's regeneration. I personally feel that the Wind Farm, together with the Library and Fire Station relocation planned for the Town Centre and the news of a UTC for Newhaven, will be a great catalyst for the rejuvenation of the Town in a sympathetic way, without the need for ground-breaking proposals, which will see the loss (as Jo rightly points out) of it's character, identity and potential. As a born and bred Newhavener, you wouldn't expect me to say anything less. I am however, an elected representative of the Town and therefore at the mercy of the residents that elected me to office, to decide on how I vote on any proposals. I would not presume to make decisions based on my personal feelings.
It is very, very important that as many people as possible engage in the consultation process. Go to the soft launch at the Hillcrest Centre tomorrow and Wednesday (have your face painted too, if it's on offer). Go to the shop in the town (have a cuppa) and look at the plans as they develop and attend the meetings. Most of all and if we get the opportunity as Jo suggests, vote in a referendum for, or against the development. Don't be distracted by patronising offers and quick-fix claims. The devil is often in the detail with such proposals and everyone should take time to check the detail and look at the long-term prospects for Newhaven, with or without the scheme. LDC and the developers have promised to listen to us, so let’s not let the Town down and make our feelings known.
If the proposals are rejected by the people of Newhaven and LDC allow them to go through, then Cllr. Page's suggestion that he (and his Party) will be held to account at the next election, may be true for the Conservatives in Newhaven at least.
If Newhaven decides it wants the Waterpark, then at least we will be able to look back in a few years time, knowing it was our decision that leads to our town's success or failure. It may be the right idea, it might not, but it should be YOUR choice, not James Page's, not the developers and not mine for that matter.
There's an awful lot of attention being focused upon this area and we need to make the right decisions for our future and our town.
SuBratchie
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2:51pm Thu 1 Nov 12
nocando wrote:Exactly why we need it here, to change the shoddy face of our Town into something we can be proud of - bring it on, quick
In the middle of newhaven? Do they mean inside the one way system or will it be over next to the scrapyards, aggregate and concrete suppliers and the incinerator? Or is it the old commercial dockyard site they've got in mind? From when Newhaven actually managed to attract industry.
SuBratchie
says...
2:52pm Thu 1 Nov 12
monkeymoo wrote:That hasnt been scrapped, sink one for sussex still exists, and a project like this locally will be just the driver it needs
As soon as the council approve the plans for something else Rountable entertainment want, they will scrap this idea. Just like they did with the "sunken ship" for divers in Seaford!
SuBratchie
says...
3:41pm Thu 1 Nov 12
My Facebook Support group now today has 314 likes in approx 8/9 weeks, which does tell a story in itself. And after visiting the 'soft launch' not hard sell, and spending enough time asking questions and getting answers some No's are now Yes's.
I am glad this 'current' administration did not delay in at least giving us the opportunity for 'real' change - Norman Baker said Newhaven would never be the same! that is probably the most positive statement I have ever heard this depressing man say, but I'm not sure he meant it that way?
If Newhaven as a whole doesn't want it, we won't get it, but there are always people who dont like change and progression, that is human nature, some people aren't big thinkers, but most of the Business people in the are should benefit one way or another by the increased interest and footfall to our Town. You know it is not like the Incinerator which was 'National Policy' and enforced in its decision for Newhaven by Ruth Kelly, the then Secretary of State, The County Council would have a lot of difficulty and cost after that after every public inquiry and excuse over ten years not to have it at a huge cost to the public and Council failed. I state this is different and you know it, this is a Private Investor opportunity, very different-
An opportunity to change our Local and National 'Image' from one of being the butt of jokes and shame and receiving here derogatory comments, like 'flood it', 'build over it!' which is totally unacceptable for a ' Gateway to Europe' Town to have that image!, We should be the 'Jewel in the Crown' of Sussex, and with this Indoor Dome becoming the Focus point I think it gives us a chance to become just that.
We need a HUGE Facelift or Re-Birth Project which this offers, to bring in other investors and drive forward those projects that are already 'trying' to re shape our Town and change its sad face. This is the offer of the 'real and BIG' change it needs, possibly with improved rail and Ferry links becoming a prosperous Commuter Town in the future. All the other projects Rampion etc still do not have the same impact that this does.
We 'have' to change our Image from the Dumping Ground of Sussex to a major Tourist Town and link between Paris to London. Newhaven needs to rise from the ashes of near destruction. Cinderella NO More !
It really is a bit of a 'no brainer', yes the 'devil' will be in the detail as we all know, but for future generations we need to be looking at reasons why to do it, not why to reject it. We need to get on board with the detail, shaping it, having a say, and trying to make it happen for future generations. The past is gone we cannot recreate it! Newhaven has been the Cinderella sister to Brighton & Eastbourne for far to long- now we have a proposed ten million to spend of badly needed infrastructure, and altogether 350 million to transform our Town and stop all the derogatory comments about our Town once and for all. After all the panic about the loss of a playing field! it turns out the locals can keep it and have it maintained and improved by the new owners, Good News. Every Cloud has a silver lining, and our Cinderella Town is about to go to the Ball, above and over the other two Towns, it is a shame the Lib Dems (not the Mayor) are not a bit more excited about this amazing offer to come to our Town, I do hope your lack of enthusiasm does not lose us this investment. It does not sound like if you had been the controlling party you would have moved quick enough to even 'Bag' it for us over other Towns !!!! and your delay would have let it pass us by to another depressed Town who wanted it. For the business and residents of this Town I would rather be an Optimist and proved wrong, than a pessimist and proved right ! If I was elected Councillor for the Valley I would be doing all I could to allay fears as much as possible and point to the future and get all the 106 monies available for the Community I could and getting them as engaged as possible with that. The Lib Dems didnt engage to do that with the Incinerator that we had to have! and lost out on 106 monies, don't let that happen this time if the popular opinion is FOR it.
SuBratchie
says...
3:44pm Thu 1 Nov 12
SuBratchie wrote:Its not I saw the founder of this project at the Soft Launch, it is still going strong and would benefit from the Tourism that this Waterpark and Hotel would bring
monkeymoo wrote:I dont think that got scrapped, it got moved to near Peachaven and the Marina, a lot of hard work has gone into this, I hope it isnt scrapped....
As soon as the council approve the plans for something else Rountable entertainment want, they will scrap this idea. Just like they did with the "sunken ship" for divers in Seaford!
SuBratchie
says...
3:49pm Thu 1 Nov 12
Sean Jenkins wrote:What the A27 and A26? we have 10 million coming with it to build a new bridge across to it apparently
How are a million people a year going to get there? There is no main road near it
cwo1993 says...
2:33pm Mon 22 Oct 12
I call BS on this one.