It has been billed as the lifeline for an area stricken by decades of decline.

But questions are now being raised about the proposed water park in Newhaven as the company behind it announced a major overhaul in staff.

The directors at Round Table Entertainments, the company that plans to build the largest water park in the world at Riverside Park in the town, have stepped down. Dominic Howson has been replaced as managing director by Felon Dunphy. Communications director Michael Cogswell has also left the company. Round Table Entertainments is registered in Guernsey and the founder is named as the Kuwaiti European Holding Company, according to official documents released to The Argus.

RTE claims the water park is the muchneeded redevelopment that the town has been waiting for. It says the £350 million project, complete with a 400-bed hotel, a five-hectare theme park and 5,700 square metre designer outlet shopping development, would create at least 650 jobs and another 3,000 in the surrounding area.

Lewes District Council sold the Lewes Road recreation ground for £84,000 to the Kuwait European Holding Company (K.S.C.) last year. East Sussex County Council sold its old landfill site, known as Riverside Park, off Lewes Road, Newhaven, to the same company for £1. A Freedom of Information request to Lewes District Council reveals the correspondence between the authority and firm in the run-up to the decision to sell the land. The buyer insisted that the sales were arranged quickly because it had other deals which were dependent on acquiring the anchor site.

It warned that if the project was delayed it would walk away from the scheme. According to the firm’s website it has concluded a feasibility study and says it aims to submit an outline planning application in the autumn. But so far, all the plans have amounted to is a vacant shop in Newhaven High Street.

A Newhaven builder said he is owed £315 by RTE. There are also concerns that negotiations with a property management company over the lease of the shop in Newhaven High Street have ground to a halt. RTE have previously said they wish to mount an exhibition in the former bakery and dry cleaners in the High Street but that the landlord must pay for asbestos that must be removed from the building.

Roger Barrett, boss at MB Building and Construction, said he installed a new fuse box and cabling at the shop three months ago. He said the shop’s landlord had paid half the bill but that Round Table had not paid its half.

He said: “I have sent them reminders but I have heard nothing from them. I am a sole trader so this money is not insignificant. “Most of my customers are private individuals who pay within seven days but this is supposed to be a big company with Kuwaiti backing.

“It should be a drop in the ocean to them.”

Terry Lim, at Prime Commercial Property Management (PCP), the owner of the shop, said: “RTE are very difficult to deal with. They only want to pay £5,000 for two units with a one-year break clause. We prefer not to deal with them.”

Paul Boswell, partner at Meeching Estate Agents in Newhaven, who represent PCP, said: “It doesn’t fill me with confidence. “The longer it goes on the more doubtful I become that it will ever happen. “On balance I think the development would be a good thing but if Round Table Entertainments fall at the first hurdle you have to wonder how serious they are about the project.”

Fenlon Dunphy said he could not comment on individual commercial arrangements between Round Table Entertainments and it suppliers.

Mr Dunphy said he did not know at this stage if the application for the development would be lodged this autumn. He said: “I have been on board with Round Table for three weeks. I have visited the area and am making the necessary contacts. “There is a lot of information to take in. That is going to be my first responsibility.”

James Page, leader at Lewes District Council, said the water park remains a good opportunity for the area. He said: “If the people decide they want it, we would very much like to continue with the project.”

 

 

ROUND TABLE PROMISES

When the water park proposal in Newhaven was unveiled Dr Al-Humaidi, Round Table Entertainments’ CEO, said: “Our aim for the Newhaven water park project is to create a sustainable business offering jobs and opportunities in Newhaven.

“We are investing £350 million to build the world’s largest indoor water park and create over 3,000 sustainable jobs in the local area.

“It is important that the public are given the opportunity to hear about our plans and to contribute their ideas.

“We aim to show them that this project will have a transformational effect on their town’s economy and will kickstart its regeneration.

“This is why we are going to unprecedented lengths to consult with them and ask them for their views over a full six month period.”

According to the Round Table website, a master plan showing the completed waterpark and details of the consultants involved in the development will be go on display at a central location in Newhaven in spring.

This has yet to happen.

The firm says an outline planning application for the water park scheme will be lodged in the autumn.

 

 

WHO’S WHO

Dr Abdulla M Al-Humaidi CEO Kuwaiti European Holding Company (KSC), a real estate, tourism, health care and wellness industry developer. He is believed to have preferred Newhaven as the location for the water park because he studied in Eastbourne in the 1970s.

Dominic Howson Former director at Round Table Entertainments. He left the company this month.

Fenlon Dunphy Self-employed consultant at Oldstone Consulting. He joined Round Table Entertainments this week to take the water park development forward.

 

 

ROUND TABLE ENTERTAINMENT’S PLANS FOR SUSSEX

Round Table Entertainment says the £350 million project will include a 400-bed hotel, a fivehectare theme park and 5,700 square metre designer outlet shopping development, and would create at least 650 jobs and another 3,000 in the surrounding area.

But emails released under Freedom of Information laws also reveal that the developers hope to build a water slide across the river. The idea came from Dr Abdulla M Al-Humaidi during a visit to Newhaven.

The document also details how the firm is also looking at least eight other sites across Sussex.

 

 

TIMELINE

2012

February 27 Locate East Sussex, a business marketing body, informs Lewes District Council that The Kuwaiti European Holding Company (K.S.C) is looking for a site to develop a water park

May 11 The Kuwaiti European Holding Company (K.S.C) contacts LDC to say its board had chosen Newhaven as the site

May 22-29 Heads of Terms presented and approved by Dr Abdulla M Al-Humaidi, and Jenny Rowlands, chief executive of Lewes District Council, and James Page, leader, Lewes District Council

June 29 Lewes District Council sells the Lewes Road Recreation Ground in Newhaven to the Kuwaiti European Holding Company (K.S.C) November East Sussex County Council sells land at Riverside Park, Newhaven to Kuwaiti European Holding Company (K.S.C) for £1

 

Round Table Entertainments, a company backed by the Kuwaiti European Holding Company (K.S.C) and based in Guernsey, unveils the proposals to build the world’s largest indoor water park and a 400-bed hotel complex at Newhaven.