PLANS to open a splash park in Blaenau Gwent could now be provided as part of the redevelopment of a retail site in Ebbw Vale.

The new owners of Festival Park have outlined ambitious plans to transform it into a family activity centre and tourism attraction

- with a children's splash park a key part of the masterplan.

But the leisure facility will now be opened much later than originally hoped, and in a different location.

A scheme was being developed between Blaenau Gwent council and the Aneurin Leisure Trust to create a children's splash park at Parc Bryn Bach, near Tredegar.

Welsh Government has approved funding of £110,000 for the splash park, which would be the first of its kind in the borough.

But the project, planned to be completed in time for the summer holidays in 2018, was hit with delays.

Council documents reveal that concerns emerged over "how the project was being managed" shortly after funding for the project was transferred to the Aneurin trust.

It was identified in April last year that the trust had not started co-ordinating arrangements for the splash park, with no project plan or timelines.

And despite discussions in March, planning permission had still not been applied for by May.

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After further meetings the council was advised by its technical services team that another £100,000 would be required for the scheme.

The council started discussions on how to raise the extra money, but soon afterwards it was informed the trust would no longer be providing the project.

"On July 27 2018 ALT (Aneurin Leisure Trust) sent back the funding to Blaenau Gwent via email without any discussion with officers of the authority," a council report says.

"An email followed a few days later from their CEO stating they would not be able to deliver the programme and had concerns about technical issues, had no additional funding to meet the escalating cost of the new design and were now concerned about ongoing running and maintenance costs and the risk to ALT."

The council is now working with the new owners of Festival Park to provide the splash park as part of the retail site's rebranding.

The new owners are said to be "enthusiastic about the concept", though they have said it will take time as the plans for the wider site redevelopment need to be finalised and planning permission submitted.

Councillors will discuss progress made at a special scrutiny meeting next Wednesday, May 15.

A spokeswoman for Aneurin Leisure Trust said: "In Spring 2018 Council officers approached the trust to highlight that BGCBC had applied for and received grant funding towards a Splashpad.

"The trust agreed to explore the feasibility of providing a Splashpad at Parc Bryn Bach.

"Following a number of meetings and correspondence with Council Technical officers and Natural Resources Wales in May and early June 2018, it quickly became clear that a number of technical challenges existed and in particular there was concern from both the Council and Trust officers over the water consumption impact of the Splashpad and the additional costs of a recirculatory tank system and future running costs that were not covered by the grant funding. 

"Aneurin Leisure advised council officers on 5th June 2018 that the Trust would not be in a position to proceed with the Splashpad in 2018 and returned the grant monies in full to the council.

"Aneurin Leisure also informed the council that should the council be in a position to recommend solutions to the technical questions that have been raised and obtain additional funding to make this project a reality for the spring 2019, then the trust would fully support in anyway, as the Splashpad would greatly enhance the Parc Bryn Bach experience for young families."