A £600 million scheme to build an aquatic tourist and science centre at Stewartby has got the go-ahead – but with the problem of how visitors will get to it still to be solved.

Nirah Holdings wants to build a giant freshwater aquarium and leisure complex at the Quest clay pit.

It gained outline planning permission for its ambitious proposals from county council planners, today, October 19.

But developer Gallagher Estates called for the application to be deferred or even refused amid a row over access arrangements for the aquarium.

Gallagher is masterminding the construction of the Wixams new villages south of Bedford, and objects to Nirah's intention of running large buses carrying customers through the settlement to its turnstiles.

Gallagher claims the shuttle service would mean traffic misery for future Wixams residents and has threatened to launch a legal challenge to the decision through a judicial review.

Gallagher's planning director, Greg Mitchell, said: "We are disappointed because we were looking for a deferral so further discussions could take place.

"A judicial review is under consideration, as stated by our solicitors during the meeting."

Billed as three times the size of the Eden Project in Cornwall, the Nirah scheme aims to create one of the UK's leading visitor attractions.

It envisages two large freshwater aquaria, each holding one million gallons of water, featuring fish, reptiles, and amphibians from one of the world's great rivers, such as the Amazon or Mekong.

A series of smaller aquaria are also intended, plus a "water adventure park", spa, and hotels.

The facilities are planned to be housed within a tropical "biotope" and other domelike structures, forming what is vaunted as a new iconic feature for Bedfordshire.

Nirah wants to ferry its visitors to the site on articulated "bendy buses" from a park and ride on the old Elstow landfill off the A6.

It plans to route the vehicles through the Wixams to the site entrance off the B530.

But Gallagher says this would mean traffic running through new residential areas, and accuses Nirah Holdings of not assessing the impact in terms of noise and air quality.

At the meeting, Brian Flynn, planning consultant to Gallagher, said the Wixams road system had not been designed to take the Nirah shuttle service.

He added: "We recognise that there is political and local support for Nirah.
"But the absolutely critical thing, and it is critical, is that the design and implementation of the scheme should not undermine the delivery of a planned high quality new settlement of the magnitude and importance of the Wixams."

However, Keith Edelman, chairman designate of Nirah Holdings, told the meeting it had to make a decision today.

He said: "Either you go for it, or you kill it."

Speaking after the planning committee approved the application, he said: "It was that black and white. The company has not got strong finances, and a delay to the decision would have meant the shareholders probably would not have been able to support us.

"The decision is good news for Nirah and for Bedfordshire. It will put the area on the map and make its name known around the world.

"There are complex issues, but we hope to develop our relationship with Gallagher as time goes on to our mutual benefit."

The Government may now decide to "call in" the council's decision, which could trigger a public inquiry.

If that does not happen – and Nirah thinks it is unlikely – the company can begin putting together follow-up planning applications for detailed parts of the scheme, including arrangements for transporting visitors.