THE LAKE-Y
STORY
In 2020, a local businessman and engineer with a vision purchased the land. Committed to diversifying away from low-grade crop production and deliberately steering away from conventional housing and industrial developments, set out to enhance the rural landscape into a premium leisure facility called Lake-Y. After navigating the challenges of planning, regulation, and opposition, work commenced in late 2024 following the final maize harvest in October. Heavy machinery arrived to orchestrate the precise movement of over a quarter of a million tonnes of soil, sand, and clay. By capitalising on the naturally occurring sand and blue clay beneath the surface, the project repurposed in-situ materials to sculpt the lake and landscape visible today. Through meticulous cutting, filling and contouring, distinct zones have been created to provide the seclusion and privacy expected in a luxury leisure facility.
More recently, the 17 acre land was used for arable farming by the Farmer family. Unfortunately, imperfect soil and underlying geology issues limited the land to lower-grade crop production. While 12 acres of the land were workable, the remaining 5 produced limited to no result despite years of grit and innovation. It was, however, these very same conditions that would one day allow the transformation of the site into Lake-Y.
Today, Lake-Y offers a safe, secure, and controlled environment for open water swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking, and other water activities. Looking ahead, the site is poised for further development, including a 1 Kilometre running track, trim trails, multi-use games court, luxury waterside lodges, fully equipped modern gymnasium, and a reception and facilities building.
LAKE-Y: From Arable roots to an Aquatic Oasis
Once an arable field adjacent to the ancient Abbey Wood and just a short distance from the River Torn, Lake-Y occupies a unique historical nexus situated between the former RAF Finningley airfield and an historic site where a Roman Vexillation Fort on Rossington Bridge once stood. If Lake-Y could speak, it would reveal a rich tapestry of captivating tales woven through centuries of heritage and transformation.