A planning bid for a new theme park on the River Thames dubbed the UK’s answer to Disneyland has been submitted for review.
The London Resort, which would be built on the Swanscombe Peninsula, between Dartford and Gravesend, plans to open in 2024, with the proposal laying out a design for two gates, a waterpark area, e-sports facilities and a conference and convention centre.
If approved, it is expected to cost around £3.5 billion, and would become the first European development built from scratch since Disneyland Paris in 1992. An artist’s impression of the site shows a modern and lit up park, which is roughly the size of 136 stadiums.
The resort also aims to be the first operationally carbon neutral theme park in the world, with the proposal stating that the areas will be built with ‘environmental enhancement’ and habitat creation in mind.
Developers say the park will be split up into ‘lands’ in a similar way to Disneyland, including The Studios, inspired by Hollywood, The Woods, inspired by fairytales, The Kingdom, following dragons and medieval weapons, and The Jungle, which covers ancient ruins.
It will also have a section named The Isles, inspired by mythical sea creatures, and The Starport, which will be a futuristic zone, The Daily Star reports. The plan includes at least six rollercoasters on the site.
There will also be a High Street area, presumably for shopping and restaurants, and more than 3,500 hotel rooms created for those visiting the park.
Two ferry terminals will also be built on either side of the Thames, along with a visitor centre, and a new road from the A2.
The application predicts the site will generate £50 billion in gross economic activity over an initial 25-year period, adding a significant boost to the economy after the pandemic.
It claims building the park will open up more than 6,000 construction jobs, while the site will generate around 48,000 roles directly and indirectly by 2038, including 17,000 resort employees.
The proposal also predicts it will generate up to £200 million in additional tax revenues, with developers noting that Disneyland Paris added £68 billion to the French economy within 25 years.
However, some residents of Dartford and Gravesend have already registered their disagreement with the plans, and have founded the Facebook group Save Swanscombe Peninsula to fight the proposal.
Those against the project have cited the thousands of endangered species that live in the area, and argued that the marshes act as a natural barrier against flooding, Kent Online reports.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.