Opinions vary over the merits of the current development at the Blue Lagoon in Arlesey.

A developer says he is turning an ‘eyesore’ into ‘into a place that everyone can enjoy’ but many residents, who have used the area for years, are angry at the sites sudden inaccessibility.

The Blue Lagoon is a 60 acre site that is currently being developed by Jay Folly’s company Tall Trees Carp Fishery.

Mr Folly wants to turn the site into a carp fishery with a nature park which will be free for everyone to use.

He described the site was as a ‘dump’ and argued the development will be a good thing for the area.

He said: “Kids used to come and take drugs here and people were always having fires and leaving the place a mess.

“We want to turn it into a place that everyone can enjoy.”

However, some residents have expressed alarm at the development as they were not aware at what is going on.

Resident Ann Grund, Ramerick Gardens, said: “I realise this is private land, but this doesn’t mean you can do as you like.

“People have been walking this area for fifty years or more and are very unhappy about the situation.”

Councillor Ian Dalgarno, who is involved in the project, said: “We are trying to do good things by bringing forward proposals that will benefit the area.

“We plan to put in footpaths and a picnic areas which will be free for everyone to use. There are not enough parks and open spaces for people to use in the area and this would be a welcome addition.”

The work started three months ago and Mr Folly aims for it to be open to the public by April 2014.