WALTON’S derelict boating lake has been bought by the owners of Titchmarsh Marina.

The Titchmarsh family said it hopes to regenerate the 26-acre expanse of water off Mill Lane, which has become dilapidated since it closed in 1976.

Helen Pudney, daughter of marina owner John Titchmarsh, said the lake has been bought for an “undisclosed sum” from the Carter family.

The previous owner Ted Carter, who died in 2004, had resisted numerous attempts to revitalise the boating lake, despite Tendring Council’s plans to develop it into a water sports and leisure complex in the early 1990s.

Mrs Pudney said: “We are still in the early stages of planning.

“We are very keen to see it as a catalyst for regeneration of the town and think it is a key site, and as a local marina, it is an opportunity for us.

“It is very dilapidated but we would like to see it back to the way it was as a boating facility.

“It could serve local people and attract visitors to the area.

“We would like to see it as a safe sailing centre for people before they go out to sea, for the yacht club and marina.

“We feel the public want to see something happen there.”

Community leaders have welcomed plans to regenerate the site.

Roger Evans, chairman of the Walton Forum, said: “I am enthusiastic to see something happening there after so many years of stagnation.

“When the forum conducted a survey into the regeneration of Walton, the boating lake was one thing the whole town wanted to see brought back.

“To see a water-based facility or something back there would be fantastic.”

The Titchmarsh family said it is in discussions with Tendring Council about the site.