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Milestone reached in water activity centre build

Federica Bedendo
BBC News, North East and Cumbria
WHC A general view of the front of the Edge building at Whitehaven Harbour. The building is shaped like a giant geometrical stone with brown cladding.WHC
The Edge is due to open in the summer

The construction of a water activity centre has reached a long-awaited milestone.

The building phase of the Edge in Whitehaven, Cumbria, has been completed, with the fitting out of the interiors due to start imminently.

The £4.7m project, funded by Sellafield and the Coastal Communities Fund, was due to open in 2022, but the Covid-19 pandemic and challenges with the build significantly delayed the opening date, now planned for the summer.

Deanne Shallcross, CEO of Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners (WHC) which is behind the project, said it "felt so amazing" to finally walk inside the building but there was still work to do.

The Edge, built in front of the Golden Sands beach, is set to provide water sports facilities, a cafe, new slipway and accommodation for visitors exploring the area and cyclists tackling the Coast to Coast (C2C) route.

Those behind the plans said they hoped it would attract about 10,000 visitors per year.

WHC The view out of a window at The Edge. The see is in the foreground, with the lighthouse visible in the distance.WHC
The Edge is being built in front of the Golden Sands beach

Mrs Shallcross said there would be a "big push" for the work to be completed by the start of the school summer holidays.

"We're really keen to take the next steps, there's a huge amount of work ahead still," she said.

WHC The mezzanine seating area. The room is empty. The walls are dark grey and the windows are of irregular shapes. The flooring in in a dark grey and off-white irregular pattern.WHC
The multimillion-pound project was funded by Sellafield and the Coastal Communities Fund

The three-storey building was designed to look like the sandstone pebbles that wash up during high seas in Whitehaven.

Plans include using the building as a venue for community events and activities.

WHC Deanne Shallcross inside the new building The Edge. She is standing by a door with a disabled badge on it and she is smiling. She has light brown hair to her shoulders and a fringe. She is wearing a blue cardigan over a polka dot blue and white blouse.WHC
Deanne Shallcross, CEO of WHC, said she was keen for the next phase to start

Mrs Shallcross added: "The building is amazingly full of potential, but while the shell is complete, the inside is still fairly empty at the moment.

"But it won't be long before it becomes a hive of activity."

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