independent Cornish news and comment

Carrick: Plans revealed for futuristic ski slope

Cornwall will see all the excitement of the Alps and the recent Winter Olympics on a permanent basis, if plans for the county’s first ski slope get the green light.


Detailed plans are being submitted to Carrick District Council for planning permission and Winterpark Cornwall, the company behind the innovative project, is seeking European and regional financial backing to help fund the £1.8million programme.

Winterpark Cornwall will be a five star quality, multi-activity, dry ski slope and year-round visitor attraction situated at Trevarthian Farm at Kestle Mill, just outside Newquay. The four slopes will be built with state-of-the-art SnowFlex materials and will cater for skiers and boarders of all capabilities and ages. There will be a 180 metre long main slope and 60 metre beginners’ slope as well as an innovative half pipe, which will be one of only two in the UK. There will also be a moguls* run for experts, a freeride play park with jumps, slides, banks and kickers and two lifts that will transport skiers and boarders to the top of the hill.

A sprinkler system using recycled water will provide speed and glide on the revolutionary SnowFlex slope and floodlighting using specially designed low level downlighters will ensure users can ski and board at all times of the year. Tailored sympathetic landscaping will minimise Winterpark’s visual impact whilst a contemporary lodge building, incorporating a café/bar, viewing balcony, shop and retail area, changing facilities and function room, will blend with and complement the local environment. The project will utilise innovative environmental measures such as geothermal heating and cooling, ongoing tree planting and sustainable materials.


Cornwall is probably the only UK county without a ski slope whereas others, such as Devon, have several. A previous Restormel Borough Council strategy for Sports and Recreation Strategy showed that a dry ski/board facility was one of the most requested improvements by people in the area and since then skiing and snowboarding have grown massively suggesting that demand will now be even higher.
With the undeniable crossover for other local boardsports enthusiasts and an estimated 34,000 skiers and boarders already in the county, Winterpark Cornwall will offer an unparalleled synergistic sporting alternative for residents and tourists alike, meaning they can surf, board and ski in the same day. Winterpark Cornwall will draw on a population catchment area of over 1 million and a tourist visitor population of over 5 million. The centre will be open all year round and will create up 40 new full time and more in ancillary jobs in the surrounding industries.

The facility will be unaffected by the seasonality factor, which challenges most of the other attractions in the area and will offer a highly attractive option as another reason for tourists to visit Cornwall in the traditional ‘off season’. The plans fit perfectly with Sport England’s ‘lifestyle sports’ targets for the South West, with the Newquay regeneration programme and with local district council ambitions. Support has already been expressed by local MPs, community leaders, regeneration experts and the facility will be welcomed local people who have been signing petitions in sports stores in Falmouth and Truro.

The new facility will be a perfect fitness option for children, families, schools, colleges, corporate groups, surfers, community groups and less abled people. An after schools club, race league and ski club will be set up and beginner, intermediate and advanced skiing and snowboarding lessons will be available on an ongoing basis. Given the fact that the half pipe will be one of only two in the country, national freestyle skiing and snowboarding events will also be hosted on a regular basis. Winterpark Cornwall will also have a charitable trust which will be dedicated to helping disadvantaged children and families access all the benefits of the sports.

Winterpark Cornwall is the result of a chance meeting between Newquay farmer and businessman Steve Bucknell and Truro born, Chris O’Connell who is a former Vice President of the English Ski Council. Chris has been working on plans to create a Cornish dry ski slope for nearly twelve years and Steve had the idea of diversifying part of his land into a ski facility some five years ago.


At today’s launch overlooking the site, Steve commented, “Winterpark Cornwall will be one of the first dry ski slopes to be built in the UK in recent years and the new ski surface technology and quality of design and build will make it a key destination for thousands of people every year. If we can tap into European and local grant funding we can make this an excellent example of public/private partnership that will have enormous positive effects for the community and the whole of Cornwall.”

Chris commented, “Freestyle skiing and snowboarding and the lifestyle trends surrounding both sports are growing massively year-on-year. Cornwall already has an abundance of untapped natural talent and one of the highest percentages of people who participate in 'balance' sports such as surfing and skateboarding. It’s definitely time that they, and visitors to the county, are able to add skiing and snowboarding to their regular sporting activities.”

Chris continues, “At Winterpark Cornwall we will offer an unprecedented opportunity for everyone to get involved and discover the excitement of these board sports plus the associated health benefits. We’ll be creating ongoing initiatives as well as working directly with schools, colleges and youth and community groups. The look, feel and atmosphere of Winterpark will be futuristic and inspirational and we’ll be employing local people to deliver the highest standards of customer service, ensuring we’re mixing all the passion of the mountains with a unique Cornish enthusiasm.”

Robin Barker, Marketing Director & Deputy Chief Executive, South West Tourism commented, "All our research and industry feedback confirms that the tourism businesses that are prospering in this competitive era are those that keep in touch with the latest consumer trends, invest in quality and make use of innovative, 21st century marketing. This initiative appears to score on all three factors and builds on the growth in demand for skiing, snowboarding and extreme sports. I look forward to returning and giving it a try!"

Dan Wakeman, fresh from being the first British male to compete in the Snowboard events at the Winter Olympics in Turin, said, “I think that it is great that they have plans to build a new slope in the Westcountry as my true roots are in dry slope boarding. If it wasn’t for dry slope I wouldn’t be here now doing what I am doing. Unlike most people that get into snowboarding I didn’t come from a ski background and the first time my family had ever been to the mountains was to come and see me compete in the Olympics, so dry slopes definitely help people get interested and involved without the whole effort and cost of travelling abroad.”

Dan continues, “The introduction of SnowFlex technology has made dry slope a lot safer, to a point that it actually hurts less to fall on SnowFlex than it does to fall on an icy piste. I think Cornwall is a perfect place to have a slope because of the general interest in surfing and skateboarding. All board sports help each other – you just have to learn to adjust techniques between sports.
“Snowboarding for me has been a life changing experience and I really hope that loads of other youngsters get the opportunity to learn on this slope and have the same chances that I have.”

Winterpark Cornwall project is an innovative £1.8 million farm diversification programme using a ten acre field. Initial private investment has already been secured and the company is seeking European funding and local finance backing sources to contribute to the build of the project and make it a working example of private/public partnership working for the benefit of the community and local economy. To date invaluable support and advice has been provided by Business Link, Mid Cornwall Enterprise Trust, Restormel Borough Council and Carrick District Council.

Timescale is dependent on planning and funding but the facility is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2007 at the latest.

People can log onto HYPERLINK "http://www.Winterparkcornwall.com" www.Winterparkcornwall.com and sign-up to an on-line newsletter to receive ongoing updates about the project.

*moguls are bumps on the hill

Ends

Issued on behalf of Winterpark Cornwall by Excess EneRGy Communications. For further information, photography or interviews please contact Rhona Gardiner on rhona@excessenergycomms.com or 07740 410052.

Notes for editors

Aside from the slope itself, Winterpark Cornwall will incorporate the following features:
• Reception/Hire Area/Changing facilities
• Offices/First Aid room
• Café/Restaurant/Bar
• Retail Area for basic equipment
• W.C. and changing facilities
• Function Room for training, corporate and club use
• Maintenance Area
• Crèche facilities
• Sun Terrace for relaxed viewing, eating and dining (weather permitting)
• Less-abled facilities to enable complete inclusion:
o Specialist sports equipment to aid participation
o Level access/paths/ramps/handrails
o Car Parking
o Disabled W.C.
o Signage/Loops/Handles
o Wide doors/Automatic Opening/Wide Corridors
o Low level reception desk

• A previous Restormel Borough Council strategy for Sports and Recreation Strategy identifies a dry ski/board facility as one of the most requested improvements by people in the Borough.
• Snowsports England’s (sports governing body) strategy for ski development, stated as one of its aims to see a dry slope facility within every county (Cornwall currently has none).
• A survey of 24 secondary schools in the county showed that 86% would regularly use the facility if it was available
• A survey of local travel agents providing solutions for local skiers and boarders revealed that 94% thought that Winterpark Cornwall would encourage skiing and boarding in the county.
Winterpark Cornwall fits with local policy and strategy in terms of economic regeneration, creating employment, anti-poverty, tackling youth delinquency, training, partnership working, promoting health active lifestyles and promoting tourism