The London Resort, a £5bn theme park project planned for north Kent, has today (December 31) submitted its application to the Government.
A document containing over 25,000 reports, assessments and analysis has been sent in, and details how the largely brownfield foemr-industrial site of Swanscombe Marshes will be transformed into a world-leading destination.
New images have also been released by the theme park showing the remarkable attraction's buildings, rides and rollercoasters.
Billed as one of the most ambitious construction projects in Europe ever and as UK's answer to Disneyland, the park will be three times larger than any other park in the UK when complete.
Twin theme parks will be built across 535 acres, with first opening in 2024 and the second in 2029.
The London Resort will also be one of the UK's larest single site employers, and could contribute up to £50bn of gross economic activity in the wider area.
It is also aiming to be one of the most sustainable, global destinations in the world, and could even run carbon neutrally.
Chief Executive PY Gerbeau marked the occasion by saying: “I arrived at this project eighteen months ago and it has been non-stop ever since.
"We have revived, reviewed, and reprogrammed the entire venture. This will be so much more than just a theme park.
“We have built excellent relationships with many stakeholders and are working closely with the elected local Council leaders. This has been an incredibly challenging journey and we look forward to working with the UK Government over the next twelve months.”
The application confirms the intent to develop two theme park gates, a waterpark, conference & convention centre and e-Sports facility.
Over 3,500 hotel rooms will be created and two ferry terminals – one each side of the River Thames – will be built, along with back-of-house facilities, a visitor centre and a new road from the A2.
Crucially, the vast majority of the materials required to construct the Resort will be delivered by River.
The London Resort will be the first European development of its kind to be built from scratch since the opening of Disneyland Paris in 1992. If successful in securing development consent, construction could begin in 2022 with a view to opening in 2024.
The Government, through its Planning Inspectorate agency, has a period of 28 days in which they write to the local authorities and, together, assess ‘adequacy’ on the consultation and carry out an evaluation of the application before they accept or reject the submission.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel