Decision

• Over £5 million of Future High Streets Fund capital has been made available for regeneration work in Maryport, leading to a range of significant enhancement schemes to be managed by Cumberland Council.
• The sum of approximately £150 – 200,000 has been allocated to the construction of a children’s interactive water feature or ‘splash park’ within the curtilage of the Shiver Me Timbers adventure play area, located on Bridge Street.
• The splash park will be managed and maintained by Maryport Town Council and the Lake District Coast Aquarium.
• Shiver Me Timbers is in a prime position for visitors to the town, together with being locally well known, and receives heavy usage. The splash park will be a seasonal facility (approximately April – October) adding increased play value and visitor attraction to the site. Splash parks are completely accessible to children of all ages and abilities, providing equal opportunities for play, encouraging social development, and increasing physical activity.
• The first step in providing the new splash park is to tender the project to suitably qualified and experienced suppliers via The Chest portal, ensuring open advertising of the opportunity.
• A detailed site assessment will be included within the tender, including details of essential utilities networks (mains electricity, fresh water and foul water) the views of Maryport Town Council and the Lake District Coast Aquarium will also be essential, as they will be responsible for ongoing running costs.
• The tender will be for a ‘design and build’ solution to be provided by suppliers, creating a new splash park which blends into the broader play area site when operational, but does not impede users during the closed season.
• The tender process will lead to sufficient project and materials information being available to apply for full planning permission.
• The decision to proceed with advertising the tender opportunity on The Chest is therefore necessary at this stage to progress this project, working with a target to complete site works prior to visitor numbers increasing in spring 2024.

Reasons for the decision

To proactively utilise Maryport Future High Streets Fund monies to provide a new facility which compliments existing play provision, which is also receiving substantial investment.

Alternative options considered

No action – the funding would be used on other projects around the town, Shiver Me Timbers play area would undergo complete replacement and upgrades as a standard, large, play facility.