Theme park nicknamed 'UK Disneyland' should start being built next year
It will be the biggest new theme park since Disneyland Paris
Last updated 11th Jan 2022
Construction of a new UK theme park, which is being compared to Disneyland, is set to begin next year.
The £3.5 billion project called The London Resort will be built on a 535-acre site on the Swanscombe Peninsula near Dartford in Kent.
The theme park, often described as the UK's version of Disneyland, has announced that 65 businesses, over half of which are British, are in the running to work on the project.
The park was first talked about in 2012, promising to be one of the 'largest construction projects across Europe'.
Once the London Resort comes to life, it will become the biggest theme park in Europe to be built from the ground up since Disneyland Paris in 1992.
Developers plan to open the theme park to the public in 2025, followed by a second park sometime in 2029.
The opening date was pushed back a year due to the pandemic and the Swanscombe Peninsula being designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) by Natural England.
Building work is set to start from 2022 when the planning application moves forward.
A sneak peek of the London Resort
The London Resort
The entrance to The London Resort will be via a grand plaza that leads visitors and hotel guests through 'The High Street'. Full of shops, restaurants, hotels, a Convention Centre and a first-class waterpark.
Base Camp
Base Camp, a prehistoric nature reserve, will feature roaming dinosaurs, two coasters, advanced dark rides, interactive dig sites and a fine dining experience with a difference.
A prehistoric dining venue
Situated at the edge of an underwater cliff, visitors can find a prehistoric dining room at Base Camp. Floor-to-ceiling "windows" will offer a front-row seat to the flora and fauna of the prehistoric oceans.
The Quetzalcoatlus rollercoasters
The first of two rollercoasters planned for the land will celebrate the reign of Quetzalcoatlus, one of the largest known, winged reptiles of all time. The second coaster inside Base Camp will offer a family orientated experience.
PY Gerbeau, CEO of London Resort Company Holdings (LRCH), gave an update on the project at the Blooloop V-Expo recently, revealing three British firms were chosen by the theme park to help bring it to life.
He said: "Electrosonic, Katapult and Garmendale are all leaders in their fields and together we are on a journey to create our own slice of history by building the UK’s first next-generation theme park."
Mr Gerbeau also said that turning London Resort into a reality will be complicated, as not only will it be one of the biggest projects in Europe built from scratch, but also one of the only operationally carbon neutral parks in the world.
Lastly, he stressed the door is still open for more businesses to register.
"To all the naysayers and doom-mongers, the London Resort is going ahead, as planned," he continued.
"To all businesses who believe they can play a part in creating a world of unique experiences, I encourage you to go to our website now, register your details and together we will create our footnote in history."
Apart from Electrosonic, Garmendale and Katapult, 65 more businesses are also in line to be involved in the London Resort.