Tourists could soon be flocking to Ashford with buckets and spades if draft plans for a water sports centre with a man-made beach get the go-ahead.A scheme including a sandy beach, boat house, sailing facilities and a restaurant at the Conningbrook Lake in Willesborough has been put forward as one of three new parks to be created outside the town centre.

Man-made beach plan for Ashford water sports centre

The plans for the three parks have been laid out in the core strategy of the Local Development Framework, meeting a need for the amount of public open space to increase by 900 hectares in the next 20 years.