Expansion plans for Splashdown Quaywest given green light in Paignton

The popular waterpark is in Paignton Credit: Google Maps

Plans to expand the largest outdoor waterpark in the UK have been approved by Torbay Council.

Splashdown Quaywest in Paignton revealed plans for a new indoor and outdoor facility, including two water slides and a clip'n'climb wall.

There are also plans for increasing the size of the car park as well as new access to the railway.

The park is run by Jackie Richmond and her husband. It currently serves around 75,000 customers a year.

Once the expansion takes place, they will be able to accommodate more than 100,000 people each year.

Jackie said: "We waited quite a long time to get it all sorted out with loose negotiations. As soon as we could we put in planning applications to expand the park.

"We are so excited that it has finally been accepted. We're hoping to bring a year-round attraction as well. We've been working with local ecologists to bring that through."

As part of the scheme, 15 trees will be felled within the newly proposed boundaries of the park.

This was described by the council's green infrastructure officer as "a loss to the area" but it was agreed that the landscaping proposals, including 15 replacement trees in the park, would be "sufficient to offset this in the long term."

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Jackie added: "There will be a new slide going in for next summer, all being well, and we'll also be bringing in a new aqua play structure which is being shipped at the moment. That again will hopefully be put up in time for the summer season next year".

Jackie and her husband have been waiting nervously to see whether or not the plans would be accepted.

The next steps involve submitting a 'construction method statement' which will outline how they are going to carry out the work whilst conforming to council guidelines.

The hope is that the park will be fully developed by the summer of 2026.

Jackie added: "We're a little bit unsure as to when all the building will take place as we just have to see how everything goes.

"We don't have a big pot of money in which to get everything done but we would hope that everything should be finished over the next three to four years."