Ongoing plans to create a £2.5 billion theme park in north Kent have been officially withdrawn.
Paris, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Los Angeles, and Orlando – what do they all have that London doesn’t? If you guessed Disney theme parks, you’d be correct.
For those feeling left out or limited by the options of Alton Towers and Legoland, the possibility of a seeing a new, £2.5bn amusement park installed just outside England’s capital might’ve been music to your ears.
Since 2014, The London Resort company has been promising to construct a theme park so large and impressive that it would stand as ‘the UK’s answer to Disneyland’.
However, it’s proposed location – the Swanscombe Peninsula – was declared a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) last year due to the national importance of its geology and wildlife.
And since the new theme park is estimated to be the size of 136 Wembley Stadiums once completed (imagine all that concrete!) it’s unsurprising that local MPs and environmentalists quickly campaigned to squash their plans.
The conservation group Buglife told the BBC that over 1,700 species of spiders and invertebrates reside in the peninsula, such as the critically endangered jumping spider which is only 1cm long but can jump 10cm to catch its prey.
The surrounding area is also a known home to other furry and feathered creatures like otters, water voles, marsh harriers, various birds, and wild-growing orchid flowers.
Clearing this natural landscape to make room for a gigantic, concrete park would be ‘one of the largest ever single losses of nationally protected habitat in the UK,’ according to representatives of Kent Wildlife Trust.
Call it good timing or destiny, but the peninsula’s newly appointed SSSI status has caused a real debacle for The London Resort company. The planners were forced to withdraw their application for UK ‘Disneyworld’ before its most recent hearing planned for March 29.
Now if your dreams of riding a brand-new rollercoaster, strolling in the shadow of a castle guarded by a fire breathing dragon, and spending £7 on a single bottle of water feel totally crushed all because of a tiny spider – don’t worry just yet.
All hope is not lost, as the London Resort company has reassured the public that the application has only been withdrawn for amendment, with a resubmission date scheduled for before the year is up.
The resort’s CEO said that postponing its application was not rooted in any material or design changes, but rather to incorporate ‘subtle changes in the green infrastructure strategy.’
So far, The London Resort has far committed a further £150m to spend on environmental improvements on the peninsula, saying ‘we are still 100 percent committed to this amazing project and look forward to delivering a world class entertainment resort – the UK deserves better and we will make it happen!’
Although £150m is a big figure, it seems unlikely that pumping more money into the project will help to completely preserve the integrity of the surrounding nature. Local residents, grassroots organisations, businesses, and MPs don’t think so either.
Campaigners for Save Swanscombe Peninsula believe the SSSI status of the area will mean an abandonment of the project and will also secure protection for the wildlife site for today’s people and generations to come.
Others feel that the company’s inability to submit a successful planning application since its first try in 2014 has caused far too much stress and uncertainty for local residents and businesses to be viable.
Commercially, things aren’t exactly smooth sailing either. Both BBC and ITV studios have pulled image rights that were granted for proposed rides based on hit brands like Thunderbirds and Sherlock Holmes.
So perhaps the dream of the UK having a Disney-inspired theme park was just too good to be true? I guess we’ll have to wait and see, but I’m sure those miniature spiders aren’t complaining in the meantime.
I’m Jessica (She/Her). Originally from Bermuda, I moved to London to get a Master’s degree in Media & Communications and now write for Thred to spread the word about positive social change, specifically ocean health and marine conservation. You can also find me dipping my toes into other subjects like pop culture, health, wellness, style, and beauty. Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn and drop me some ideas/feedback via email.
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