Designs revealed for new park splash pad

Two design options are being considered

Potential designs for a new splash pad which is set to replace a paddling pool at a park in Derbyshire have been revealed.

Derbyshire Dales District Council has unveiled two different options for the new "multi-sensory" feature planned for Hall Leys Park in Matlock as part of upgrades supported by a grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

A petition against the plan to replace the paddling pool has attracted more than 1,000 signatures.

The authority said: "External funding cannot be spent repairing an existing feature, so the splash pad selected in the consultation will replace the paddling pool from September onwards."

A public consultation on the design options will run until 16 June

Work to the park, which includes a new skate park and refurbished pathways, is supported by a £450,737 grant from the UKSPF and £279,263 from the authority's capital reserves, is expected to be completed by March 2025.

Before then, the council said it would carry out repairs designed to bring the existing 15-year-old paddling pool "up to the required standard" for it to operate throughout the summer.

A council spokesperson added: "We are aware of the frustrations caused by the paddling pool being unavailable during recent warm weather.

"It would have been inappropriate for us to spend taxpayers' money on repairs until the tendering process was complete and we had a definite construction timetable from the successful bidder."

'I'm appalled'

Work to replace the feature with a splash pad will start in September, the authority said.

Both options will be suitable to children up to the age of 12 and are designed to be more accessible than the paddling pool, according to the council.

Despite this, Harper Collins-Sanders wants the authority to reconsider its plans and keep the paddling pool.

The 42-year-old said: "I started the petition so that future generations can enjoy having a paddling pool in Matlock.

"The peaceful play will be lost and if this is democracy then something is broken, I'm appalled.

"We urge the local council to reconsider their decision and preserve this important piece of our town’s heritage."

The consultation on the design options will run until 16 June.

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