FRESH allegations have been made in the ongoing saga of Cotswold Water Park.

In October property developers Watermark Group were found to be in breach of planning regulations, having dumped thousands of tonnes of waste into Lake 31 of Cotswold Country Park and Beach, formerly known as Keynes Country Park.

Although Watermark was permitted to carry out improvements on the banks of the lake, an investigation found they had drastically exceeded the amount they were allowed to dump in the lake.

Speaking at a public meeting of Somerford Keynes Parish Council, Cotswold District Councillor Esmond Jenkins (Lib Dem, Water Park) said he had been made aware of a series of ‘Heads of Terms’ agreements relating to Lake 31 signed by disgraced former Cotswold Water Park Society (CWPS) chief Dennis Grant and Watermark.

“These agreements outline the commercial intention to drive a roadway along Keynes Country Park to the land on the eastern edge of the lake,” he said.

“People who have been involved – and by that I mean Matthew Millett, David Neudegg and other public officers – know that the intention behind the Lake 31 infill was to drive a roadway along it.”

However, CDC chief executive David Neudegg said noone at the council had seen the alleged agreements.

“My 'knowledge' of this is limited to a very brief conversation with Matthew Millett of the Cotswold Water Park Trust (CWPT) in August 2011,” he said.

“That conversation did not identify to me any matters that were of relevance to the functions or decisions of CDC.

“I have urged the CWPT to make public the details of any agreements so that the public – and this council – can make their own judgements.”

CWPT managing director Matthew Millett said the charity was cooperating fully with the inquiry into the running of the Water Park currently being carried out by Graham Garbutt.

“CWPT has handed copious documents relating to the sub-lease of Keynes Country Park to Graham Garbutt to assist him with his independent review in a spirit of openness and total transparency,” he added.

“We have no recollection of a specific plan showing an access road across Keynes Country Park.

“However, we trust that the Garbutt report will leave no stone unturned in its investigations.”

No one from Watermark was available for comment.