Doors open on delayed water activity centre

The Edge had been expected to open in summer 2022 but the project was marred by delays

A £5m water activity centre has opened more than three years late.

The Edge in Whitehaven, Cumbria, was due to open in the summer of 2022 but faced delays due to the coronavirus pandemic and issues during the build.

Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners (WHC), the owners of the building, said it hoped to to build "a financially sustainable centre" with long-term benefits for the community.

Chief executive Deanne Shallcross said: "It's been a long time coming but it feels amazing to finally open the doors to the public."

The project was funded by the government's Coastal Communities Fund and Sellafield Ltd, which manages the nearby nuclear plant.

Funding was announced in March 2020 and delays were caused by problems including connecting the site's electricity and challenges with the specialist cladding covering the structure.

The Edge provides watersports facilities, community events, a cafe and 16 rooms for visitors and cyclists tackling the C2C route.

Stuart McCourt, Sellafield Ltd's social impact manager, said the building would be an "asset" for the community, offering a facility people would not have to travel out of the area to use.

"It helps to create resilient economies by attracting visitors into the area and increasing the footfall for local business," he added.