THE owner of the National Diving and Activity Centre, near Chepstow, is planning to invest nearly £1m in the site over the next two years.

Owner Darren Bryce, MBE, believes the outlay is worth it as it has 3.6 million people within a 30-mile radius and it is entertaining more of them every year.

The ex-regimental sergeant for the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers purchased the site for £750,000 with his wife, Kaye, and it opened eight years ago.

The project emanated from Mr Bryce’s charity work, for which he received an MBE after raising around £2.5 million over the years.

Following a fundraising abseil at the site ten years ago he noticed its potential and decided to buy it.

“I always wanted my own place where we could do charity events,” said Mr Bryce, whose Scuba Santas event next month sees divers don the costume to help the RNLI and DDRC Healthcare.

As part of the £1m, £150,000 has been spent on segways, electrically powered vehicles for people to ride on around some of its 55 acres, and £250,000 on 12 deluxe wigwam units for which planning permission was submitted recently.

If granted, they will stand on the edge of the cliff face and overlook the quarry, where 15 different police teams, the fire service, coastguard and Ministry of Defence practise diving.

Other projects in the pipeline are a giant 3D swing, costing £85,000, which will give thrill-seekers 3G gravity over the quarry, and a £500,000 extension to The View café and bar.

“I want to open it up to families and children as mainly grown-ups use it at the minute,” said Mr Bryce, who had a 27-year military career, for which he received a Meritorious Service Medal.

“The whole place is definitely getting bigger and better.”

A trawler, which spent years fishing in the North Sea, is becoming a new wreck-diving experience.

It was picked up in a boat and brought up the river Severn and on to Beachley, and it has been at the centre for the past three weeks.

It is hoped it will be in place by Easter next year after a competition to name it.

“The person who wins will put it in the water, doing a controlled explosion to get it to sink,” said Mr Bryce.

The structure will join othes such as an aeroplane, helicopter, cars and armoured vehicles which are already underwater.

The site is the only one in the UK where you can dive to below 50 metres, which is why it is an important training hotspot.

Eight years ago around 400 people came to the site each year, but now that figure has grown to a huge 14,000.

Its appeal to all ages and the area it sits it are its key selling points, adds Mr Bryce: “If mum or dad are doing a zip wire the whole family can come here. Whether you are four or 94 you can have a go.”

He added: “We thought it might take us a lot longer to get where we are. The more money we make we can put back into the business.”

Its turnover is £800,000 and it is hoped it will reach £1m by next year.