Mendip Activity Centre granted planning permission for new accessible watersports lake

Mendip Activity Centre has received full planning permission to construct a new purpose-built accessible watersports lake on its 250 acre site in Churchill in the Mendip Hills National Landscape. It marks one of the most significant developments in the organisation’s history.

The lake will be created in a quiet section of the centre’s open grasslands, designed to sit naturally within the existing contours, hedgerows and tree lines. The project places a strong emphasis on accessibility, sustainability and environmental enhancement. The plans include a gently sloping accessible beach, extensive native planting, a wetlands area and hedgerows, all contributing to a measurable biodiversity net gain.
Once completed, the lake will introduce non-motorised watersports to the main site for the first time. Guests will be able to take part in Kayaking, Canoeing, Paddleboarding, Raft Building and Open Water Swimming. The facility has been designed as a central feature of Mendip’s outdoor education offering, providing thousands of school children and youth groups with a safe, onsite venue to build confidence, develop skills and deepen their connection with the natural world.

The new lake will also serve families and visitors camping at the award-winning Mendip Basecamp during the summer months. Earlier this year, Mendip Basecamp was awarded Silver at the VisitEngland Tourism Awards. The lake will function as a year-round training space for the centre’s industry-leader outdoor instructor training courses.

David Eddins, CEO of Mendip Adventure, described the approval as a pivotal moment for the organisation:

“This is a landmark moment for Mendip Adventure. For nearly forty years, we’ve worked to make outdoor adventure accessible to everyone, and this new lake takes that mission to an entirely new level. This sensitively designed lake will make water sports accessible to all whilst creating new habitats that enhance the biodiversity of our site. It's an exciting step forward. This lake will play a key role in the future of adventure, education and conservation in the Mendip Hills.”

As the South West’s largest independently owned outdoor activity provider, Mendip Adventure welcomes more than 108,000 visitors each year and supports over 100 local jobs. The new lake is expected to reduce transport movements on narrow rural roads by relocating watersports from off-site venues, while encouraging longer visitor stays and strengthening Somerset’s tourism offer.

Although the lake will become the organisation’s primary venue for introductory watersports, Mendip Adventure destination SUP Bristol will continue to operate from Bristol Harbour and Mendip Activity Centre will continue to offer a full programme of trips.

Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026 and the centre hopes to open the lake to visitors in 2027. Specialist engineers and lake designers are supporting the project to ensure all elements meet high standards of safety, accessibility and environmental responsibility.