Unity Beach Holiday Park in Brean is embarking on one of its most ambitious developments in recent years. The Somerset-based resort, now under the ownership of Foundation Partners, has submitted proposals to Somerset Council for a transformative £10.2 million expansion of its flagship Brean Splash waterpark facility. This significant investment signals the park’s commitment to remaining one of the UK’s leading holiday destinations whilst simultaneously addressing growing concerns about the loss of public swimming facilities across the country.
The Scale and Vision of the Expansion
The proposed redevelopment of Brean Splash represents a comprehensive reimagining of the water-based leisure experience at Unity Beach. The plans include the introduction of two additional outdoor pool areas, a modern lazy river, expanded family changing facilities, and a distinctive boardwalk that will serve as a focal point for the entire complex. These additions build upon the existing 25-metre indoor pool, children’s splash park, and the popular waterslides that have made Brean Splash a visitor favourite since its initial phases opened in 2011.
The proposed development introduces a festival-style promenade designed to connect key attractions and pedestrian entrances throughout the facility. This thoughtful design approach aims to optimise visitor movement and enhance the overall guest experience. The redevelopment will also feature enhanced accessibility from existing car parking areas and create a new pedestrian entrance, reflecting modern expectations for holiday park infrastructure.
Why This Investment Matters Now
The timing of this expansion is particularly significant given the current state of UK leisure facilities. Swimming England’s latest analysis reveals a troubling trend across the nation. Since 2010, approximately 500 public swimming pools have closed throughout the UK, representing the loss of more than 34,000 square metres of water space. Disturbingly, 76 per cent of this water space loss has occurred since 2020, indicating an accelerating crisis for the leisure sector.
The national picture presents particular challenges for swimming proficiency among young people. Current Sport England data indicates that 30 per cent of children in Year 7 cannot swim 25 metres competently, confidently and proficiently. This figure represents a significant increase from 27 per cent in the 2017-18 academic year. The loss of accessible swimming facilities has directly contributed to these declining standards.
Phillip Brownlie, a representative from Swim England, has expressed optimism about the Brean Splash proposals. He stated that the plans could have a “very positive” impact on swimming accessibility and participation in Somerset. He emphasised that swimming represents far more than a recreational activity. “Swimming is absolutely vital,” he explained. “It is undoubtedly a life skill and could one day determine the difference between survival and not, which is why access to water is so essential.”
The Operational Timeline and Community Considerations
Should Somerset Council grant the necessary planning permission, construction activities are expected to commence during the winter months of 2025. The development team has strategically planned the work to coincide with the park’s quieter season. Brean Splash will close to the public from December 1, 2025, until approximately March 1, 2026, minimising disruption to peak holiday season visitors.
However, the park’s management recognises that the closure will create temporary inconvenience, particularly for local residents and swimming enthusiasts who utilise Brean Splash for lessons and regular activities. Resort director Jonny Green acknowledged this impact. “We recognise that this closure will cause inconvenience, particularly for those who rely on our facilities for swimming lessons and regular activities,” he stated. “Naturally, we apologise for this disruption, but these works are designed to ensure the long-term sustainability of Brean Splash and to provide a greatly enhanced facility for the local community and visitors alike.”
The facility also serves local schools for swimming instruction, making the temporary closure a matter of concern for educational establishments in the region. Nevertheless, the park’s management maintains that the long-term benefits to the facility will justify the short-term disruption.
The Broader Context: Unity Beach’s Transformation
This waterpark expansion represents just one element of the broader transformation currently underway at Unity Beach. The park underwent a change of ownership in October 2024 when the House family, who had operated the resort since 1947, sold the business to Foundation Partners, a private equity firm. This sale concluded a multi-generational family ownership that had grown the resort from its origins as Unity Farm into one of the South West’s most significant leisure destinations.
Foundation Partners appointed Mark Seaton, formerly Managing Director at Cove UK, and Dermot King, who previously held the position of Managing Director at Butlin’s, to lead the new venture. Their expertise in the holiday park and leisure sectors has already manifested in significant investment. Earlier in 2025, Unity Beach welcomed the launch of the Wonky Donkey pub and restaurant, featuring an expanded pavilion theatre, sports bar with virtual reality gaming capabilities, and an entertainment complex. BBC One Show presenter Alex Jones attended the official opening of these new venues in May.
This £15 million investment programme demonstrates that Foundation Partners views Unity Beach as a cornerstone asset within its growing portfolio of leisure destinations. The group has announced intentions to develop a £500 million leisure platform, which currently encompasses approximately 3,000 pitches across multiple holiday park locations, with a development pipeline exceeding 10,000 additional pitches.
Addressing Caravan Expansion Plans
Alongside the waterpark development, Unity Beach has also submitted proposals for wider site expansion. The park has filed an application with Somerset Council for environmental impact assessment screening. These proposals include plans to introduce up to 85 additional static caravan bases on four hectares of land currently forming part of the resort’s golf course. This development reflects industry-wide trends in which holiday park operators seek to diversify revenue streams and maximise accommodation capacity.
The application, submitted by planning agent Laister Planning, notes that existing mature vegetation, particularly trees, will be retained wherever possible. The existing site spans 87 hectares and already operates more than 1,500 pitches, combining touring caravans, static caravans, and holiday lodge accommodation. The addition of 85 static caravan bases would represent a modest expansion of the overall capacity.
Environmental and Community Benefits
The development documentation accompanying the planning applications emphasises the environmental and community considerations underpinning the proposals. The park’s statement explains that the proposed development will ensure that ancillary facilities better align with the scale of accommodation currently on site. “Existing facilities are too small and tired in their appearance,” the application notes. This reflects a genuine strategic need to enhance the infrastructure supporting the park’s existing guest population.
The applications highlight several projected benefits for the local community. The expansion would create additional employment opportunities, both during the construction phase and through ongoing operation of the enhanced facilities. The park has committed to significant landscape planting and onsite biodiversity enhancements as part of the development masterplan. These initiatives align with Unity Beach’s existing sustainability commitments.
The resort has achieved a 51 per cent recycling rate and continues to develop its conservation and biodiversity programmes. Notably, the park has invested substantial resources in wildlife initiatives, including the reintroduction of water voles throughout the site and the hosting of rare great crested newts. The park operates multiple beehives and has received the BBK Honey Bee Friendly Park Award. Over the last seven years, the resort has planted 8,000 hawthorn whip habitats and continues planting 27,000 trees over a five-year period to encourage wildlife corridors and support migratory birds.
Economic Impact for Somerset
Resort management emphasises the broader economic implications of these developments for the region. The park leadership has highlighted that investment and expansion at Unity Beach attracts increased visitor numbers to Brean and neighbouring areas including Weston-super-Mare and Burnham-on-Sea. This additional footfall benefits the wider local economy and creates opportunities for local businesses to increase their client base.
The park currently employs approximately 150 permanent staff members, with this figure expanding to around 250 during peak summer months. The expansion proposals would further enhance employment opportunities within the local area.
Planning and Regulatory Process
The proposals now enter the formal planning consultation and decision-making process at Somerset Council. The environmental impact assessment screening is a crucial initial step that will determine whether a full Environmental Impact Assessment is required before development can proceed. This screening process represents standard procedure for developments of this scale and significance.
The public consultation period will allow local residents, businesses, and interested parties to review the proposals and submit formal representations to Somerset Council. Planning officials will subsequently evaluate all submissions and recommendations before making their determination. Given the broader economic benefits, job creation potential, and sustainability initiatives described in the applications, the outlook for approval appears reasonably positive.
The Importance of Accessible Leisure Facilities
This expansion project arrives at a particularly important moment for the UK leisure sector. Swimming participation rates among children have rebounded significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in Somerset. According to Swim England, more children in Somerset are participating in swimming each week compared to 2017, suggesting that investment in accessible facilities continues to drive participation and water safety competency.
The loss of community swimming pools across the UK has created genuine public health concerns. Leisure operators throughout the country utilise pools to deliver essential health services that reduce pressure on the National Health Service. Approximately 66 per cent of cancer prehabilitation and rehabilitation services take place in fitness and leisure settings. Similarly, emerging health programmes address musculoskeletal conditions, which represent a leading cause of disability, pain, and workforce absence.
The closure of accessible swimming facilities disproportionately affects communities already experiencing higher levels of deprivation. The research indicates that 70 per cent of the ten local authorities that have experienced the biggest decline in pool space demonstrate higher than average indices of multiple deprivation. This pattern risks exacerbating existing health inequalities across the country.
What Comes Next
As Somerset Council considers these proposals, the decision will likely set important precedents for holiday park expansion within the region. The approval of these plans would signal confidence in the leisure and tourism sector’s recovery and its continued importance to local economies.
For holidaymakers and local residents alike, the successful completion of these developments could transform the leisure experience at Brean. The combination of enhanced waterpark facilities, improved accommodation capacity, and expanded entertainment offerings positions Unity Beach to attract increased visitor numbers and maintain its position as one of the UK’s premier holiday destinations.
The expansion plans reflect a broader confidence in domestic tourism and leisure spending. As UK travellers continue to prioritise staycation experiences, investments like those at Unity Beach demonstrate the confidence that major leisure operators maintain in the market’s long-term viability and growth potential.
Looking Forward
The current expansion plans represent Unity Beach’s commitment to remaining at the forefront of UK holiday park destinations. The management team’s acknowledgment that existing facilities have become “too small and tired in their appearance” reflects honest assessment and a determination to modernise and enhance the guest experience. This investment philosophy, combined with the sustainability commitments already embedded within the resort’s operations, suggests that Unity Beach will continue to evolve and develop over the coming years.
The successful integration of these expansions could establish Unity Beach as a benchmark for modern holiday park development in the UK. By combining traditional British seaside holiday experiences with contemporary leisure amenities and environmental stewardship, the resort exemplifies the direction in which the UK holiday industry is moving as it responds to evolving consumer expectations and societal priorities.
FAQ Section
What exactly are the expansion plans for Brean Holiday Park?
Unity Beach Holiday Park (formerly known as Holiday Resort Unity) has submitted proposals to Somerset Council for a £10.2 million redevelopment of Brean Splash waterpark. The plans include two additional outdoor pool areas, a lazy river, expanded family changing facilities, a festival-style promenade, and enhanced pedestrian access. Additionally, the park has proposed adding up to 85 static caravan bases on four hectares of golf course land, pending environmental impact assessment screening approval.
When will construction begin and how long will it take?
If planning permission is granted by Somerset Council, construction is scheduled to commence in late 2025. Brean Splash waterpark is planned to close to the public from December 1, 2025, until approximately March 1, 2026. This strategic timing coincides with the park’s quieter winter season to minimise disruption to peak holiday periods. The winter closure period has been selected specifically to allow continuous construction work without interfering with the main holiday season visitor numbers.
Will local residents still be able to use Brean Splash during construction?
The temporary closure from December to March 2026 will affect both holidaymakers and local residents. However, this closure window was deliberately chosen because visitor numbers drop significantly during winter months. Local residents who use the facility for swimming lessons and regular activities will need to find alternative provisions during this period. The park’s management has acknowledged this inconvenience but maintains that the long-term benefits justify the short-term disruption.
What investment is Unity Beach making beyond the waterpark expansion?
Unity Beach has already invested £15 million in improvements during 2025, including the launch of the Wonky Donkey pub and restaurant, an expanded pavilion theatre with entertainment offerings, a sports café featuring virtual reality gaming, and enhanced arcade facilities. The broader parent company, Unity Holidays, has secured £500 million in funding for a leisure development platform and is targeting a portfolio of approximately 3,000 current pitches with a development pipeline exceeding 10,000 additional pitches across multiple UK locations.
How does this expansion address the broader UK swimming pool crisis?
The UK has experienced the closure of approximately 500 public swimming pools since 2010, with 76 per cent of this water space loss occurring since 2020. The Brean Splash expansion directly counters this troubling national trend by maintaining and significantly expanding accessible swimming facilities. This investment demonstrates confidence in domestic leisure and tourism markets whilst providing essential swimming infrastructure in an era of widespread facility closures. Swim England has expressed optimism about the project’s potential positive impact on swimming participation and water safety education in Somerset.
What is the environmental impact assessment screening process?
The environmental impact assessment (EIA) screening opinion is a formal procedure required by planning regulations for developments of certain scales. Somerset Council will evaluate whether a full Environmental Impact Assessment is necessary before development can proceed. This screening process is a standard requirement and allows the council to determine whether the project’s potential environmental effects warrant a comprehensive assessment. Unity Beach has provided information about existing mature vegetation retention, sustainability initiatives, and biodiversity enhancements as part of this screening process.
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