Great Wolf water park plan for Bicester: Residents say 'go home'

A 46-acre 'one-of-a-kind' resort called Great Wolf Lodge could come to Chesterton after American company Great Wolf Resorts submitted plans to Cherwell District Council last November.

But hundreds of objection letters have been submitted to the council, mainly from residents in Chesterton, but also from people in Weston-on-the-Green and Bicester who strongly oppose the plans.

Watch: What will Great Wolf Lodge look like?

Opponents are adamant that any development on such a scale would be 'inappropriate' and cause 'irreversible damage' to the village.

The resort would be the first Great Wolf Lodge site in Europe and include a water park with twisty slides, a 498-room four-storey hotel, an adventure park, 900-space car park, 559sq m conference centre, a restaurant and public nature trail.

The site would lie east of the M40 in the village, next to Bicester Hotel Golf and Spa taking nine of its holes – a key objection from residents.

Some of the other main problems people have include the impact on traffic in Chesterton, the huge scale of the project, its all-inclusive business model affecting local businesses and its impact on the environment.

Also read: US water park could come to Bicester

David Pheasey, who has lived in Chesterton for nearly 28 years, said: "The scale of this proposed development is monstrous.

"I am told the building is higher than St Edburg’s church in Bicester, the hotel is the biggest proposed development outside of London, the floor space exceeds that of Bicester Village and the car park is bigger than the Bicester Park and Ride."

Eric Leach, from Chesterton, who attended meetings with people from Chesterton and the surrounding villages to discuss the plans, said: "No one in those meetings argued for this proposed project. I feel this is totally inappropriate for the area. The hotel that is proposed is massive and the adjoining water park, is truly ugly.

"This project should not be built anywhere, as it is an outdated business and Chesterton and the other villages are the lungs and green spaces of the area around Bicester."

Sally James, from Bicester, who also submitted an objection letter, said: "Daily car movements far in excess of those that local roads can accommodate will have a detrimental effect on the lives of Chesterton villagers, the surrounding villages and the already-congested town of Bicester."

Also read: Chesterton residents says resort will 'decimate' village

Residents' action group Keep the Wolf from the Door was set up last year in a bid to stop the resort from coming to the area.

Members have put up signs and banners around the village and held events including a protest at Great Wolf’s exhibition in Bicester last September.

One of its concerns is that golf enthusiasts will be left with nine holes at Bicester Hotel and Spa.

Jackie Williams, who is a member of the group as well as clerk to Chesterton Parish Council said: “To concrete over nine holes of a stunningly beautiful and viable 18-hole golf course, currently home to lakes, swans and a vast array of other fauna and flora and providing a healthy outdoor environment for many people of all ages, is nothing less than criminal.

“Golfers are understandably outraged at the prospect of losing half of their golf course and the knock-on effect is that they are leaving to drive further afield to other 18-hole golf courses."

Campaigners say Chesterton would not cope with '1,800 plus' additional cars rat-running through its country roads daily to get to the resort.

But after Great Wolf's exhibitions last year – which 633 people attended – the company now says it has made 'tremendous enhancements' to its proposals, including transportation.

It says drivers arriving and departing via the M40 (south) would be directed via brown signposting along the A43 and B430 through Weston-on-the-Green rather than the A41 and A4095.

It is also proposing to have a shuttle bus service to and from the resort.

Also read: Residents fight back against water park plan

The firm has also now included day passes in its plans to allow local people who may not need to stay overnight to use the facilities, and has modified its proposals in terms of architecture and landscaping, adding a free public nature trail to incorporate more green spaces.

A spokesperson for Great Wolf Resorts said: "These changes have been made as a direct result of our engagement with and feedback from the public. We are deeply committed to ensuring we provide maximum benefit to the local community and remain open to any and all comments that can continue to improve our proposals and, in particular, how the direct benefit to the local community can be enhanced."

However 13 parish councils object to the plan as well as Bicester Town Council.

Philip Clarke, chair of Chesterton Parish Council said: "We feel strongly that this proposed development is totally unsustainable and is against the Cherwell Local Plan and the NPPF guidelines – it does not respect the character of the countryside, has not exploited opportunities to make the site more accessible by public transport or cycling/footpaths."

The date for the application to go to Cherwell District Council planning committee is yet to be set.