AN indoor water park with twisty slides, interactive games and discounted day passes are just some of the things people can look forward to once Oxfordshire's new resort is built.

The county is set to get its first water park resort next year after the Planning Inspector gave it the green light in May.

American company Great Wolf Resorts (GWR) is to build Great Wolf Lodge in Chesterton, near Bicester.

Oxford Mail:

It's been a long journey for GWR as its plans were met with lots of objections from people, local parish councils and Cherwell District Council's disapproval.

Here's a round-up of everything we know so far about the resort:

Facilities

  • 498-room hotel with themed rooms 
  • Indoor water park with twisty slides and a variety of pools
  • Adventure park with ropes course, climbing wall, family bowling, arcade games
  • Interactive 'mystical quest' game

ALSO READ: Chesterton residents say Great Wolf Lodge resort near Bicester will 'decimate' village

  • Dining inlcuding a 'farm to table'-inspired restaurant
  • A 5.74 hectare public nature trail - equivalent to the size of almost six football pitches
  • 'Ambassadors of fun' - trained staff who lead dozens of complimentary family-friendly activities throughout the day including morning yoga, arts and crafts, and 'Story Time'
  • Conference facilities with access to an outdoor terrace

Oxford Mail:

Transport

  • Shuttle bus to bring visitors and staff from Bicester to Chesterton
  • 900-space car park

Bicester water park resort: A round-up of the story so far

  • Drivers arriving and departing via the M40 (south) will be directed along the A34 and B430 through Weston-on-the-Green - a slower route - rather than the A41 and A4095 as originally planned

Price

Details on how much tickets cost have not been revealed yet but a one-night stay for a family of four at Great Wolf Lodge in Pocono Mountains in America is $349.99 for a family room.

This includes water park passes, kids activities and unlimited wifi.

Up to 450 day passes, discounted day passes and discounted sustainable say passes for those living nearby the resort.

Oxford Mail:

The discounted day passes would be available to residents of post codes covering the Cherwell area.

ALSO READ: Inspector to decide as Bicester water park resort inquiry ends

Sustainable day passes would be available to the same residents but limited to those who use the staff/visitors’ shuttle bus service

What people in favour say:

Oxfordshire resident Ruth Devine said: "I think it would be great to have a place for families nearer. The Government wants us all to exercise more and a fun healthy way to enjoy the day with your family is ideal."

Oxfordshire resident Sian Quinn said:  "I think it’s a good thing, it would bring a lot more people into the town which I think is sadly dying. We went to Butlins and when we’re there every lunch time we would walk into the town and have lunch rather than in the resort. It will create a lot more jobs for people. Overall I think it’s a good idea."

What people against say:

Oxfordshire resident Trudi Lee said:"It's a resort, a destination, not for locals. Day tickets are a fob off."

Oxford Mail:

Oxfordshire resident Lindsay Eastwood said: "This will not be for use by locals and only for people staying at the resort. Also it would be built on a flood plain which is disastrous for the area and would not be able to cope with the extra traffic."

Great Wolf Lodge: Campaigners 'appalled' by Bicester water park resort approval

What campaigners say: 

Caroline Twiddy chairman of Stop the Wolf campaign say: "This vast complex will be one of the largest hotels outside London yet it will be situated on the edge of a village with only 800 inhabitants. We simply do not have the infrastructure to support it."

Philip Clarke chairman of Chesterton Parish Council said: "We remain incredibly worried about the impact this will have on our beautiful historic village - particularly the volume of traffic, which surrounding roads cannot cope with, and the light pollution from the permanently floodlit carpark."

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