£80m overhaul for West Midlands Safari Park

Planners at the council are recommending proposals for a state-of-the-art water park are approved next week.

They are also expected to approve plans for a 250-bed hotel, conference centre and spa.

The water park has been designed to operate entirely independently of the proposed hotel and conference centre.

Planning officers at Wyre Forest District Council have recommended plans for a water park at the tourist attraction be approved.

And proposals for a hotel, conference centre and spa are also set to a green-light when district councillors meet next week.

Bewdley's Mayor Mrs Calne Edginton-White today welcomed the recommendations saying expansion was vital for the park to remain viable in the future.

But she said concerns over whether the road network around the attraction was able to cope with an increase in traffic had to be taken into account. "Expansion of the attraction is needed for it to remain viable.

"The boost it will give to the economy of Bewdley also cannot be ignored," she said.

"However the development needs to be carefully balanced to ensure it is a benefit to the whole town not just to the park itself.

"Planners needed to be sure the roads can cope with the increased demand as at the moment they are already get very busy.

"We do not want a situation where Bewdley becomes a no go area because people are concerned they are not going to get through the Safari Park traffic. However this expansion is needed and if developed properly will be a massive boost to the area.

"But we need to ensure everyone benefits from the expansion whether it be residents, traders or visitors."

Councillor Edginton-White said it was also important to ensure the park remained a going concern so its conservation programmes and work with animals could continue.

Bosses said approval of the scheme would be a 'significant step forward' after years of hard work.

Richard Boother, spokesman for planning consultants RPS, said: "It is extremely good news these plans have been recommended for approval.

"It represents the end of a lot of hard work liaising with the district council and residents.

"It is a very significant step forward for the development."

Mr Boother said a date had not been set for when work would begin if the development was approved.

But he said it was expected to be 'as soon as possible'.

A report to Wyre Forest District Council's planning committee says the application site, known as Bunkers Hill, is within an area of undeveloped park land measuring approximately 262ft wide.

While officers have recommended the scheme be approved, residents living near to the attraction fear it will cause chaos to the surrounding area.

In the report, one resident says: "I feel this is totally inappropriate for this location. The road from Kidderminster to Bewdley is already gridlocked when the safari park has events or during Bank Holidays.

"Noise pollution is causing disturbance from existing functions. The extra traffic, noise and pollution is not required or wanted."

Other residents are concerned the extra traffic would deter visitors from coming into Bewdley itself.

And there were also concerns about the extra noise that would be caused by the water park and what time the new attraction would close during the summer months.