An £18 million leisure park proposal to revitalize a former sandstone quarry in the Staffordshire Moorlands (England) has been given the green light.
Staffordshire Moorlands District Council planning committee approved plans to build Moneystone Park at the former Moneystone Quarry site in Whiston on September 15, 2016.
It is estimated that 230 construction jobs would be created and then 250 full time equivalent operational jobs would be created on completion of the park.
Moneystone Park is conveniently located near to other local attractions. Moneystone Park will provide a boost to the local economy. With visitors spending more money in the area, this could have significant spin-off economic benefits for retailers and other service providers.
Staffordshire attracts over 20 million visitors annually, of which just 7% stay overnight. By promoting a range of overnight and short stay holiday options for visitors, Moneystone Park will provide another opportunity to retain tourist spend in the area.
3. New jobs
Around 250 new full time equivalent jobs could be created at the site, plus new jobs during construction and indirectly within the local area. This would help to replace those jobs lost when the quarry closed. As an example of rural regeneration, the development will also help to diversify the range of jobs on offer in the local community.
Moneystone Park will provide new footpaths, cycle routes and bridleways for community use. This includes new facilities for horse riders. Moneystone Park will also link to existing local routes.
Moneystone Park will aim to protect and enhance the local wildlife and ecology on the site. In addition:
- Careful placement of lodges and landscape planting will ensure that views into the site will be almost completely unaffected.
- Lodges will be prefabricated off-site to minimise waste generation, construction activity and noise on-site.
- The potential for using electricity from the adjacent solar farm, if planning permission is granted, will ensure a long term supply of renewable energy.
- The local environment will be carefully managed for the benefit of flora and fauna in the long term.
The current masterplan proposes:
- 250 lodges
- A leisure ‘Hub’ building
- Outdoor sports facilities
- Watersports facilities
- Areas of public parkland and wetland landscape
- New footpath, cyclepath and bridleway connections
- The retention of two existing quarry buildings
Photo of Moneystone Quarry via www.geograph.org.uk.