Plans for a huge new water park resort with swim-up bar just over an hour from Manchester

There’s plans for a huge new water park resort, complete with hotel, zip-line and pool with a swim-up bar, just over an hour’s drive from Manchester.

Plans for the new water park resort could be submitted to Derbyshire County Council as soon as April for the new development.

Public consultation on the proposals is now underway with construction estimates coming in at around five years by developers Hillcrest (Crich) Limited. 

The resort called ‘Amber Rock Resort’ would take over the derelict 44-acre Crich Quarry just north of the Derbyshire village.

The resort will feature a giant indoor water park as well as a 166-bed hotel, 148 straw bale lodges – seven of which will float on the quarry lake – and 210-holiday apartments.

Some of the quarry faces will be turned into climbing walls. There will also be a zip-line running across the site from a viewing platform on the top of the quarry. Visitors can also expect a bowling alley, shops, a restaurant, swim-up bar and a sports hall.

The waterpark will be built across two levels and feature the usual waterslide, raft ride, lazy river and outdoor pool as well as the rather tropical addition of a swim-up bar.

The website hosting the consultation reads: “Combining a mix of eco-friendly accommodation and exciting leisure activities, our vision for Amber Rock will restore the old quarry set within this beautiful rural backdrop, preserve its heritage, and boost the local economy.

“We want the Amber Rock resort to become an asset for the community.

“The Amber Rock resort will actually increase the environmental value of the area through improved biodiversity and added landscape amenities.

“Celebrating the unique features and history of its location, Amber Rock will also preserve the local environment and protect the community for years to come, ensuring the site will never be used for mineral extraction or future industrial use.

“Plus, a unique mix of leisure activities suitable all year round, making it a destination with the community at its heart and somewhere to create unforgettable memories.

“Amber Rock’s diverse facilities will actively encourage longer stays to reduce the number of day trips, while specific check-in/check-out times will be applied to reduce effects of peak traffic flow. We’ll also arrange various shuttle buses to transport guests to local attractions.

“Our vision is also about restoring this beautiful setting. Carefully designed to blend into the stunning rural landscape, and to be constructed using locally sourced and sustainable materials where possible, it will deliver minimal visual impact beyond the quarry.”

The project will be built using many of the materials from the quarry itself and generate 200 jobs. The resort will also have 100 full-time and part-time staff once open.

The developers explain that extensive work has been carried out to assess the impact of traffic on the village of Crich itself, the nearby tramway village and Sherwood Foresters Monument.

Who’s looking forward to this?