Plans for inland surf lagoon and 120-bed hotel spa in Kent submitted

Surf ON turf! Plans for inland lagoon facility with wave pool along with luxury 120-bed hotel and spa at Kent county park are submitted – despite protesters’ fears over wildlife at the site

• The plans have been submitted to Dover District Council to build the surf lagoon
• Plans at Betteshanger Country Park in Kent also feature a 120-bed hotel and spa 
• The Seahive would hold up to 80 surfers and feature a dedicated surf hub
• Protesters fear that the plans will have a detrimental impact on the environment 

Plans for an inland lagoon facility with a wave pool alongside a luxury hotel and spa at a Kent country park have been submitted – despite protesters’ fears over wildlife at the site.

The plans to build the lagoon facility with a wave pool which could hold up to 80 surfers and a hotel spa that could hold 120 guests were submitted to Dover District Council in September.

But protesters have raised concerned over the environmental impact that the new facility, called The Seahive, will have.

The Seahive would become part of the Betteshanger Country Park, near Deal in Kent, and will feature a surf hub which will include cafes, restaurants, changing rooms and training facilities.

Plans have been submitted to Dover District Council to build a surf resort in Kent. Pictured: CGI image of what the resort could look like, featuring a wave pool that could hold up to 80 surfers

The Seahive (concept image pictured) would also feature 15 overnight holiday pods, a yoga studio and fitness and well-being facilities

There will also be 15 overnight holiday pods, a yoga studio and fitness and well-being facilities.

The organisers are planning to open the inland surfing space by April 2025 and aim to attract thousands of visitors to the area each year.

A decision on both the hotel and surfing lagoon is expected to be made early next year but people are concerned about the plans. 

During a demonstration organised by Friends of Betteshanger, many voiced their worries about the new development.

The group fear that the it will affect the area’s animals and plants – with concerns for skylarks, lizards and doves in particular.

One protester, Sue Sullivan, said: ‘Turtle Doves have declined by 98 per cent since the 1970s and we have a special responsibility to protect their remaining habitats, such as those at Betteshanger Country Park, and prevent their extinction in the UK.

‘The colony of Lizard Orchids at Betteshanger rivals that at Sandwich Bay Nature Reserve. They are a treasure of Dover District.’

Another protester, Colin Bridgeland, added: ‘I am not against a hotel or surfing facility, but this is our Country Park, it’s the wrong place for such developments.’

The bosses behind the project urge those objecting to take a deeper look at their plans for sustainability and biodiversity which they say will actually be improved by 11 per cent once the project is finished. 

Alex Kalorkoti, consultant to Betteshanger Country Park, said: ‘What people objecting to it have rightly identified is that there are valuable habitats and important species here.

‘We have been aware of that from the outset and we have incorporated ecology into our plans. It’s not development first, and the environment as an afterthought.

Protesters have criticised the move as they have concerns on the impact of wildlife in the area. Pictured: The proposed plans for The Seahive

The plans also feature a hotel and spa that could hold 120 guests were submitted to Dover District Council in September. Pictured: CGI images of what the hotel could look like

‘We’ve set aside 11 hectares of the country park which is furthest away from the hub activity and the car park.

‘That land will become part of the ecological management plan.

‘We are also funding an ecology warden because at the moment there are no people dedicated to ecology on the site.

‘By doing this, the habitats are being managed in the long term, so we keep favourable conditions for lizard orchids, turtle doves and invertebrates.

‘It will be just over 11 per cent biodiversity net gain.

‘We are accepting that our proposal will lead to an initial loss of habitat, but what we are doing is more than offsetting that.’

Several protesters have also questioned why Kent needs an inland surf resort when the county is surrounded by the sea.

But in response, Jim Storey, chief executive and founder of The Seahive, said: ‘There are no waves in Kent. Every so often places like Joss Bay and Viking Bay light up if there is a big north easterly swell, but that’s quite rare.

‘Kent is not renowned for its surfing at all, in fact, a lot of people who love surfing drive six hours to Cornwall or hop on a flight somewhere abroad and that’s not ideal when it comes to the use of fossil fuels.

‘The sea is not a particularly welcoming environment for children or people who suffer from various mental and physical disabilities but this is a space designed for all abilities.

‘Back in June the Environment Agency advised us not to go swimming around the Kent coastline because of sewage which is an absolute joke in this day and age with corporates treating the sea as a dumping ground.’

Several protesters have also questioned why Kent needs an inland surf resort when the county is surrounded by the sea but  Jim Storey, chief executive and founder of The Seahive explained there are no waves in the south-east county

Mr Storey added: ‘It’s really important it’s an authentic destination, not just a big lump of concrete in the ground which a lot of people think it’s going to be.

‘It’s crucial this is a place which can be enjoyed by people of all ages, abilities and disabilities.

‘It’s a safe space where people can push boundaries, make friendships, connect with their communities and experience personal growth.

‘This is a purpose driven business, it’s not a money-making scheme.

‘I’m not a guy in a pinstriped suit, or a developer, this is a purpose lead destination which is really important.’

The overall masterplan for the 15-acre site will feature a Wavegarden Cove surf lagoon at its centre, which can create more than 20 different wave types from 50 centimetres to two metres, providing rides of up to 15 seconds long for all ages and abilities.

There will also be 15 accommodation pods, a wellness centre with yoga and fitness zones, cold water therapy, meditation pavilions and a splash pool.

Overlooking the lagoon will be a clubhouse with a surf academy as well as a restaurant and bar, conference facility, retail outlet, chill out spaces, dedicated work area and immersive balcony.

Stuart O’Leary, head of Betteshanger Country Park, said when they took the park on in 2019, it was in a ‘sorry state’. He said they are looking for other ways to make it more sustainable

If approved, the lagoon will be the second of its kind in England and the seventh of its kind in the world, following facilities in Melbourne, South Korea, Switzerland, Brazil, Wales and Bristol.

Stuart O’Leary, head of Betteshanger Country Park, explained: ‘Since we took the park on in 2019, it was in a sorry state so we have had to really work to get revenue and drive footfall.

‘We put £2million into the investment centre, we finished off the mining museum, the Lamp Room and built the business up to get it almost into the black.

‘We have nearly doubled the footfall since taking over and this year we are hoping to triple it but still we are looking for other ways to make it more sustainable and these developments would really help with that.

‘There is a massive shortage of hotel provision in the local area, there’s literally about 100 rooms in a mile radius of the park.

‘We have events here which we could attract far more people to if there was a hotel.’

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