Plans for £3.5 billion 'UK Disneyland' withdrawn

30 March 2022, 12:12 | Updated: 30 March 2022, 12:20

By Heart

@thisisheart

Plans for the UK to have its very own 'answer to Disneyland' have been shelved.

It looks like the UK might not be getting its very own 'own version of Disneyland' as plans for a £3.5 billion theme park have now been shelved.

As reported by Metro, plans for the London Resort, which has previously been compared to Disneyland, were withdrawn at partly so its impact on the environment could be improved.

The plans were also affected because a Thames port in Essex - where London Resort had planned to build its ferry terminal - has been classed as a Freeport, meaning it is exempt from certain tax requirements. Due to the fact that many businesses would take advantage of the port, it would become too busy to use for tourism and entertainment.

As reported by the BBC, London Resort said the current application was being withdrawn "as a result of the classification of Tilbury as a freeport which has meant revisions are required in moving the ferry terminal from Tilbury to Grays".

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The London Resort project was first announced in 2012, and it was due to be built in 2024 at the Swanscombe Peninsula, between Dartford and Gravesend in Kent.

The 1,245 acre site was set to have offer hundreds of restaurants, shops, hotels, as well as 'immersive' jungles, woods and castles.

The site it was due to be built on was declared as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) by Natural England, and it is home to wildlife including otters, water voles, and rare birds and insects.

Plans have therefore been met with controversy from many environmentalists, with Jamie Robins, programme manager for conservation organisation Buglife, saying, according to the BBC: "We can't let such a precious site be lost.

"Now that the application has been withdrawn, we have to make sure that the proposals never come forward again and the site can be kept for nature.

"We are in a biodiversity crisis and we have to protect our best remaining wildlife sites."

London Resort’s chief executive PY Gerbeau is said to be considering resubmitting the plans this calendar year.

Mr Gerbeau said: "We will continue our engagement with the local community, statutory bodies, landowners and others to make sure we can reach as many agreements as possible before resubmission.

"Make no mistake we are still 100% committed to this amazing project and we will resubmit before the end of 2022 and look forward to delivering a world class entertainment resort – the UK deserves better and we will make it happen."