Bluewater: Plans for inflatable water park at shopping centre.

Plans have been submitted for an inflatable water park and an observation deck for cold water swimming at one of the UK’s largest shopping centres.

Hangloose Adventure, which already runs various attractions at Bluewater in Greenhithe, Kent, is behind the latest proposals.

The application to Dartford Borough Council seeks permission for a cold water swimming route for no more than 30 people at a time.

The leisure company also wants to construct a floating observation deck on one of the shopping centre’s lake, with capacity for 153 people.

Lake two at Bluewater already hosts one of the country’s fastest and longest zipwires run by Hangloose.

The summer aqua park is also planned to have an inflatable obstacle course for up to 65 people at a time, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The latest plans come after previous proposals by a different company for an inflatable aqua park at Bluewater were scrapped in 2021 in the face of stiff opposition from residents and local politicians.

A petition signed by more than 8,000 people called for it to be ditched saying it would have encroached on a nature trail.

In Hangloose’s application, at a different location in the complex, it stresses the lake does not form part of the nature trail and that floating reed beds will introduce more wildlife to the lake.

Brian Phelps, managing director at Hangloose Adventure, said: “We think this would be a great addition to Bluewater.

“We hope to open later in the summer and will be offering free swims to locals,” he added.

A decision on the application is expected no later than 15 August.