# Killarney Springs family park, Bude, Cornwall, October '08



## lycos

Met up with the new girl on the patch for this one, (nice to meet you Lily! thanks for the company and for not doing this one without me!), After visiting another site in the area, (Brockland's adventure park - pretty much cleared now, kit has been auctioned off, half of the site is now industrial, and the other half returned to being the owners personal space), we headed out to the back up site, on a bit of an adventure park quest we made our way to Killarney Springs family park, also in the same area.

The parks website is still online at the time I write this report and can be found here -
http://www.killarneysprings.com/attractions.htm

It is sad to see so many of these tourist sites go under, in such a short time and so close together, you'd have thought that the closure of one would have strengthened the other, 
Brockland's closed as the owners retired, but as to the closure of this site I don't really know the cause, although doing some research I did manage to find this on the HSE site -
http://www.hse.gov.uk/notices/notices/Notice_details.asp?SF=CN&SV=300173168
There were rumours going around about planning permission and lack of funds, but then rumours do spread once these things happen...

OK, on with some pics, there are loads I'm afraid as it was a huge site, with a lot of the area and buildings being cleared, a lot being sold off at auction, also signs of some landscaping being started, but we were glad to see plenty reminders still remaining...
This area was known as the 'Fun barn', play room for the under 6's, used to be filled with bouncy castles, ball pits and toys...
View from the 'Killarney Castle'































Then on into what used to be 'The Powerhouse', (Twin twister, drop slides)
Snack bar, & pool table (all now gone)


























The next area, last time I went was a food outlet and indoor eating area, with a few arcade machines, and toilets, this now seemed to have been turned into an indoor dodgems area, 











These made me laugh, CROOZ controls...











Random trashed leftovers...


























After climbing up the stairs to the top of the waterslides...yes, we were tempted...
















Heading down towards the 'Willow creek boat ride'






Apart from a big hill this was just about all that remained of the 'North ridge toboggan run', I remember these steps, they were a killer, especially when you end up carrying to kids toboggans too!






The boat house at the creek..






And on down to where the funfair used to sit, nothing left but bits and pieces rotting in the field, was supprisingly wet underfoot, not one of the best places to situate a rollercoaster...on marshland?





















Was a long walk but this bench didn't look that inviting...






Classic Swingball...






Not quite sure what the idea of these were, think they were used to sit behind a small metal swing-shovel as they were in what was left of the sandpit.






The gift shop, now emptied, and various other structures.





















This was another restaurant..





















And finally to the boating lake...












Plans for the future use of the property can be found here -
http://www.landmarque.co.uk/killarney_springs.htm
It seems no-one has bought the land yet as for sale signs can still be seen at the entrance, although planning permission has been obtained to build the above...

Thankyou for checking this out, and thanks again to Lily,
I still think you should have done the post!

Lycos.​


----------



## Lily_Pollen

Many thanks to Lycos for taking me out to the parks, it was a lovely sunny day, and it was a nice urbex day out. 

These are my contribution...














This made me smile, I thought I left my car somewhere!


----------



## Scrub2000

Cracking report peeps!
That looks a right gold mine of urbex material if ever there was one!

Cheers!


----------



## Morrisey

No wonder this place closed, it looks as much fun as a sexually transmitted disease!! Did you try out the bumper cars??


----------



## the_delta_force

Great photos. Amusing to see the website still running...


----------



## jock1966

WOW what a great post sutch a shame to see it like this.
As for website still there cyberspace or what LOL.:spinny:


----------



## lycos

thanks for your comments everyone, the kids used to love it there, come to that, I used to have a pretty good time too, was strange to go back there and see it now..


----------



## Gunny

Very cool explore


----------



## crumbler

I would have divorced my parents if they have taken me there for a day out, imagine being taken past the bumper cars and water flumes and being stood infront of sodding Swingball lol


----------



## Bide_furio

wicked, hoped someone had done here! last i heard was that everything was still in there and very much protected! 

due to people wanting to take stuff as they were owd money! 

good load of pics used to love it there as a kid!


----------



## kyberhai

Doesn't look like it'd have been the world's worst theme park and still looks like it'd give a great day out. So much fun stuff still there!


----------



## mr_ppp

Hi guys, new here but found this site fascinating, great pictures!

Whilst digging for more information about this site i found this interesting document

http://www.ncdc.gov.uk/media/adobe/0/o/Killarney_Springs.pdf

Seems in 2006 they were ordered to "cease the use of the dodgems; roller coaster and log flume and to
secure their removal from the land."

3. THE BREACH OF PLANNING CONTROL ALLEGED
The use of the land for the siting of dodgems; a roller coaster and a log
flume.
Planning Permission was granted on the 13th November 1990 for the
change of use of redundant agricultural land to a water leisure area and
nature trail (Decision Number 9012502). The siting of the fairground
rides listed above therefore constitutes a material change of use, which
does not have the benefit of plarrning consent. It is therefore a breach
of planning control.

4. REASONS FOR ISSUING THE NOTICE %
It appears to the Council that the above breach of planning control has
occurred within the last ten years.
The fairground rides and equipment are located within the park
boundary on land which is currentely void of structures and has the
appearance of open countryside, the site is also clearly visible to the
public from the A.39 to the west. The siting of structures has an
adverse impact on the landscape character of the area and would
therefore be contrary to Policy ENVI and DVSl of the District Local
Plan - April 1999; Policy 2 of the Cornwall Structure Plan -
October2004; and the guidance contained in PPS7 - Sustainable
Development in Rural Areas - August 2004.
It is not considered that the objections can be overcome by the use of
planning conditions.

5. WHAT YOU ARE REQUIRED TO DO
To cease the use of the dodgems; roller coaster and log flume and to
secure their removal from the land.
TIME FOR COMPLIANCE: 28 days after this Notice takes effect.
6. WHEN THIS NOTICE TAKES EFFECT
This Notice takes effect on 1'' September 2006 unless an appeal is
made against it beforehand.
DATED: 20" July 2006

Seems they didnt have the planning permission to put them up in the first place - could it be the main reason it closed?

Just read through the thread and noticed the HS&E notice served on the rollercoaster earlier in the year they had the planning permission notice, could be the double whammy of having an unsafe rollercoaster and then having to remove it with the other rides was the final nail in the coffin


----------



## Bloomers

Blimey, was gonna have a look this week while on holiday with nothing to do. thought i would be the first lol

good pictures, looks strange all empty, was owned by a bunch of polskis a couple years ago, think there was some interesting accountancy going on. 

May take a wander up on the way to the girlfriends. are there still gnomes all over the place at brocklands?


----------



## Jim Mcrae

Been 6 odd years since i have been there, got in free as we knew the lad that was on the door as it were


----------

