Further details have emerged today of the proposed plans for the London Resort, the multibillion pound theme park resort development earmarked for the Swanscombe Peninsula in Kent.
In a meeting with the Government Planning Inspectorate held on 9th March, London Resort Company Holdings (LRCH), the developers behind the project, outlined their plans for the Resort following the announcement that LRCH was no longer in partnership with Paramount.
LRCH now propose to have a variety of IP (intellectual property) partners, which will lead to a range of themed lands within the theme park. Contracts with six IP partners are close to being completed and LRCH anticipate these will be announced in due course.
The park is now proposed to be delivered in two phases by splitting it up into two ‘gates’ – Gate 1 would consist of a stand-alone theme park and account for approximately two thirds of the overall scheme. Gate 1 would also feature the six IP partners currently being negotiated and be operational first. Gate 2 would provide further IP-partnered lands and further hotel accommodation, however LRCH have advised that they will wait until Gate 1 is open before negotiating the IP partners for Gate 2 to ensure the IPs they intended to use were still relevant and desirable.
As part of the scheme, a total of 3550 rooms would be built, with the majority of the hotels being included in Gate 1. Access to all the hotels would be accessible from outside the park as well as safe access routes to and from the park.
LRCH intend to secure development consent for both phases in one application and currently intends to submit their application in 2019, however have not specified at precisely which point in the year that will be. Prior to submitting the application they are promising an ongoing dialogue with key consultees, including Highways England; the Environment Agency; and Natural England; and Natural England. There is also the potential that some of the associated development required for the project, including works to the junction of the A2, may require a separate Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project and consequently require their own application.
This latest update from LRCH follows an uncertain period for the project which has experienced what have been perceived as a number of setbacks for the London Resort. It is hoped that this more encouraging news now means that more positive progress towards the submission of the Development Consent Order will be seen in the coming months.
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