The land between Octagon Farm and the A603 includes the current haul road serving the minerals processing plant at the heart of BRVP (Willington Quarry). This access road and the surrounding fields provide the access for the proposed watersports lake and the setting for the associated facilities, and this area forms an important and highly visible part of BRVP.
Much of this area is in arable cultivation, some having been worked for mineral and restored to agriculture, some still being worked, which distinguishes it from surrounding fields nearer Willington. The Octagon Farm Fields area lies predominantly outside of the floodplain, according to Environment Agency data, and includes an area of land being promoted by land owners for consideration by Bedford Borough Council for development that could help to fund construction of the Watersports Lake and the wider creation of BRVP.
The focus across Octagon Farm Fields will be on enhancing the landscape of this highly visible part of BRVP, with plentiful opportunities for targeted tree planting. The construction of the Watersports Lake and associated facilities in accordance with the existing planning permission would create an additional activity hub within this area to complement the others within BRVP and provide a focus for more formal sporting and recreational activities within the Park.