Paultons apply to keep Cobra (From Romsey Advertiser)

Paultons apply to keep Cobra

9:20am Friday 13th November 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(2)

THE row over two of the biggest attractions at a theme park has taken a new turn.

Paulton’s Park has launched an attempt to save one of the rides that may have to be torn down following a ruling by the New Forest National Park Authority.

Members rejected a controversial application to retain the Cobra and the Edge, both of which were built without planning permission.

Now Paultons has applied for consent to keep the Cobra, generally regarded as the quieter of the two.

The move has raised questions about the future of the Edge, installed just eight months ago at a cost of more than £1m.

Paultons is refusing to say if it will appeal against the NPA’s decision to refuse the original application, demolish the ride or move it to another part of the park, most of which is covered by permitted development rights.

Paultons, which attracts 500,000 visitors a year, occupies a 140-acre site between Ower and Copythorne.

Managers are thought to have submitted the Cobra-only proposal because most of the opposition to the previous application had centred on the Edge.

Another theory is that Paultons is more likely to win an appeal if it has already secured consent to retain one of the rides.

The application to keep both attractions was rejected by the NPA’s planning and development control committee on October 20.

Members refused the proposal by seven votes to five, going against the advice of their planning officers.

A prominent opponent of application was David Allenby, from Copythorne, who told the Advertiser that there was room for a compromise.

“If they keep the Cobra, it should be part of a broader package that covers all future rides that are put into the park.”

He said that any new rides should not be too noisy or built above the skyline as the Edge was.

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(2)