ENVIRONMENTAL groups have slammed moves by South West Lakes Trust to revive plans for a visitor centre at Burrator Reservoir.

The Dartmoor Society says it is 'astonished' that South West Lakes Trust has written to Burrator Parish Council with a copy of a questionnaire it intends to circulate among visitors this summer, which includes the statement 'The Trust is planning a new visitor centre'.

The society says a visitor centre would 'destroy the quiet and successful recreational use of Burrator'.

The society says it is committed to ensuring genuine environmentally-friendly management of Burrator and is happy to work with South West Lakes Trust to this end.

But society chairman Dr Tom Greeves says the group will 'vigorously fight plans for a visitor centre and associated commercialisation'.

The Friends of Burrator group has also voiced its opposition, saying the questionnaire being circulated at Burrator in the coming months demonstrated the 'intrusive changes' which were being considered at the site.

Denis Walker said: 'The fact that on two previous occasions, the public has resoundingly rejected

attempts by South West Water to commercialise Burrator is completely ignored by South West Lakes Trust.

South West Lakes Trust is setting up an advisory group as part of the consultation process but the Dartmoor Society says so far, neither they nor the Friends of Burrator have been given the chance to be represented.

Lee Hembrow, of South West Lakes Trust, said the advisory group was an independent body, which would include representatives from West Devon Borough Council, Devon County Council, Plymouth City Council, Dartmoor National Park Authority and Burrator Parish Council meeting to discuss a management strategy for Burrator.

Mr Hembrow said the trust was not intending to create an extensive visitor centre, but was examining improvements in access and facilities, including footpaths, walks, public toilets, a weather shelter, and information and signposting.

Mr Hembrow said every attempt had been made to keep the questionnaire neutral, and said it was designed to find out only 'what people think of the facilities, and what they would like to see'.

Mr Hembrow rejected claims that the trust had any intention to commercialise Burrator.

'It is one of the more tranquil areas and there is no way we want to ruin that,' he said.

Mr Hembrow said changes had been made from the first draft of the questionnaire and he intending to distribute around 300 to 500 questionnaires to visitors from June to September, as well as seeking the views of interested people at a series of open days.

A planning application for a cafe and visitor centre with an adjoining car park at Burrator was turned down two years ago.

In December 2000, South West Water lost an appeal against refusal by Dartmoor National Park Authority to allow the change of Burrator Lodge into a cafe and visitor centre and the demolition of a historic iron building to make way for a car park.

The DNPA received more than 400 letters of objection and more than 2,000 signatures on petitions.

South West Lakes Trust are holding consultation days at Burrator Lodge on July 19, July 27 and August 17 — all are welcome to attend.