Mercia Marina heads for further expansion

Plans have been approved by South Derbyshire District Council for Bondholder Mercia Marina to further expand its premises to include more than double the number of luxury holiday lodges on its site, as well as additional facilities for boaters and holiday makers.

The Marina has acquired permission to build 32 more lodges and provide an all-weather tennis court, sports pitch, gym, péntaque court, golf putting area and playground for those staying at the Marina.

A new wildlife pond, almost the size of a football pitch, would also be created as part of extensive landscaping plans around the new lodges.

Robert Neff, General Manager of Mercia Marina, said: “Even though it would see a significant growth in our holiday lodge provision, the impact will be surprisingly minimal – partly due to the amount of land here, and also because they would be built gradually, perhaps over a period of several years.”

He continued: “The sports facilities will be a phenomenal addition to what we already have here, and I predict that they will see a huge amount of use.”

Mercia Marina, already the largest inland marina in Europe, has overseen steady and successful growth since it opened in 2008, particularly since the opening of The Boardwalk leisure, shopping and office development in 2014.