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A major new watersports centre and 80-seat restaurant will make King’s Mill Reservoir a “must-go-to” Nottinghamshire tourism site, councillors have said.

Members of Ashfield Council’s planning committee approved the plans during their latest meeting.

The facilities will act as a replacement for the former Sutton Sailing Club, which closed last year.

The club had sailed on the popular reservoir for more than 60 years, but could not come to an agreement with the authority over its fees.

An artist's impression of the planned development.

Now land previously used by the club will be transformed into a watersports hub featuring a range of outdoor activities.

There will be a new two-storey building featuring a restaurant on the upper floor overlooking the reservoir.

It will couple with the watersports facility on the ground floor and sits next to Nottinghamshire Council’s The Mill Adventure Base outdoor centre.

Council papers confirm the restaurant will feature a kitchen, bar area, indoor and outdoor seating and toilets.

The sailing and watersports centre will include changing rooms, a boat yard, storage, a training and meeting room and other facilities for outdoor activities.

Two secure yards for 55 small boats and 12 large boats would also be installed for activities like sailing, paddleboarding and kayaking.

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Members of the authority’s planning committee approved the plans with eight votes in favour and one abstention.

Speaking during the meeting, Coun Arnie Hankin, who represents Selston, said: “It’s brilliant and I think the whole design is fantastic.

“This will be a site to visit, a must-go-to and will draw such a wide area to Ashfield.

“It’s great we’re investing in Ashfield and there will be new jobs brought in.”

Coun Rachel Madden, council cabinet member for leisure, said: “This is going to be a great enhancement, not just to Ashfield but the benefits will be felt in Mansfield and even into Derbyshire.

“People will be able to travel to this and it should turn into one of the top spots in the county.”

As well as the watersports facilities, the new hub will also offer open-water swimming.

However, the approval of the plans comes just weeks after a separate swimming club on the reservoir closed until the summer after “erratic” water quality tests.

Love Open Water said it had taken the “difficult decision” to close while further tests are conducted.

King’s Mill Reservoir watersports hub and restaurant will make site ‘must-go-to’ tourism hub