Attraction Source Forum

Delayed. Again. 

I am however going to disagree with what other have said about the project not going ahead... even though we have had too many delays to count, including the Paramount withdrawal from the deal, we have still seen small steps of progression like the partnership with MBNA Thames Clippers, which have to indicate that the project as a whole is moving in a positive direction, surely?
Although these delays are becoming a bit of a frequent occurrence, I'm optimistic that London Resort just want everything to be ready before the consultations begin, and that these delays don't mean that the end of the project is near.

I'm staying optimistic - but I'll admit, things don't look as good as I'd like them to.

6 months delay but they still plan a 2023 opening.  5 years to get the planning permission sorted, build the transport links minimizing disruption around one of the worst bottlenecked sections of road around London and then to build a water park, theme park and entertainment/event centre....

Seems increasingly tough. 

Look forward to seeing how they've changed it though, it'll be the first we've seen of it without the paramount properties.

New park projects often seem to get announced then never happen in the UK- there have been a few such cases including movie maker tie ins and big new projects that never got built- what's tripping so many of them up? Is it lack of space and planning permission issues, lack of investors or something else. It does get a bit disheartening looking forward to these exciting new projects then never seeing them happen.


We've got some amazing parks in the UK but it still feels like we're playing catch up with some of the major parks elsewhere, even within Europe, as we don't seem able to quite match them but then we are a smaller island nation!


Thoughts?

Land is expensive, limited in availability, and generally we have neighbours everywhere that are hostile to change and new developments. Our planning laws and protected land do not help either.

I cannot think of a new theme park which has been proposed since Six Flags and Disney looked at a location near Enfield / Watford, north of London.

Do share any others.

I mean I know the Warner Bros Studio Tour in Watford, fairly near to me, had plans to become a universal park, but it feels a little too late now for the land to be used for developments. The site is being used a lot for lots of Warner Bros films like the DC ones. Potentially, it would be a great place for a theme park with the M1/25 and Watford Junction nearby, but annoyingly, it most likely won't happen. I guess it will just be Harry Potter Studio Tour.

ThemeCrafter264 wrote:I mean I know the Warner Bros Studio Tour in Watford, fairly near to me, had plans to become a universal park, but it feels a little too late now for the land to be used for developments. The site is being used a lot for lots of Warner Bros films like the DC ones. Potentially, it would be a great place for a theme park with the M1/25 and Watford Junction nearby, but annoyingly, it most likely won't happen. I guess it will just be Harry Potter Studio Tour.

Universal allegedly considered a theme park not too far from this site but it was scuppered because concerns about the wildlife would have made getting planning permission extremely difficult.

The UK was also apparently considered for Euro Disney, can't remember exactly why it didn't happen (seem to have vague recollections of it being that the UK didn't fit the 'euro' image Eisner wanted)

8byfire wrote:New park projects often seem to get announced then never happen in the UK- there have been a few such cases including movie maker tie ins and big new projects that never got built- what's tripping so many of them up? Is it lack of space and planning permission issues, lack of investors or something else. It does get a bit disheartening looking forward to these exciting new projects then never seeing them happen.

As Chris said. We don't have vast amounts of land suitable for a major theme park and we have very strict regulations (with a very NIMBY minded population). Spending 10million designing a theme park only for plans to get delayed because a local resident pointed out a pond on the site has greater crested newts in it (sightings of a trespasser in wellies with a filled bucket was of course a coincidence).

You'd never get a Disney World situation where Walt was allowed to drain a swamp to build a theme park nor the shady dealings of Disney when it comes to the Anaheim local government in the UK.

Lastly, theme parks are incredibly expensive and very high risk. The London Resort is going to be built on the site where there used to be a water park before it went under.

Lastly, theme parks are incredibly expensive and very high risk. The London Resort is going to be built on the site where there used to be a water park before it went under.

Not quite - the 'Fantaseas' attraction was located nearby (closer to the M25), but not on the Swanscombe peninsula.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantaseas

I think another factor is probably isolation from neighbour countries/areas, yes you can get to the UK quite easily but we don't have the continuous land mass benefit of Europe/ America etc- think they benefit from therefore having a much bigger / more flexible 'travelling' catchment area, it is perhaps a bit harder to get to the UK versus these other locations.


In some ways it may be a good thing though as it means a lot of parks with their own USP's, identities and character so you still want to get to them rather than just having one or two of preference.

Nothing really new here but an article in the Sun confirms that the plans will be sent to the government for approval this coming November, and the company are confident that it will be approved:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/3057985 ... ent:Travel

This is perhaps the most positive news we have had in a while, we’ll have to keep our fingers crossed!

I wa hoping for something in the first half of the year. I literally live next to the site in swanscome and it would be on my doorstep!!

Danny wrote:Nothing really new here but an article in the Sun confirms that the plans will be sent to the government for approval this coming November, and the company are confident that it will be approved:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/3057985 ... ent:Travel

This is perhaps the most positive news we have had in a while, we’ll have to keep our fingers crossed!

Unfortunately that article is dated 10th March 2017 :P

Hahaha :lol I was wondering why they were still calling it Paramount...

Omg so it is! :lol

As you were... 8-[

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/l ... nd-9997861

This has been updated today according to the publish date and the google alert I just got.... 

Going back to the rumour of Universal Studios London a while back, Apparently one of ThemeParX's guest made a comment two days ago saying...


Interesting that it was posted 2 days before this article... 

As much as I don't want to burst anyone's bubble with the article from The Mirror, I'm afraid that the article doesn't give us any new information - it's just repeating stuff we already know. Unfortunately we are again at a point when consultations should be happening now but there has been no information forthcoming. Whilst LRCH have all these agreements in principle, these mean little without the formal planning approval, and with the plans not yet anywhere near being submitted I stongly suspect we will have another delay to the opening date, if indeed the project ever happens.

Ladyofthelake wrote:As much as I don't want to burst anyone's bubble with the article from The Mirror, I'm afraid that the article doesn't give us any new information - it's just repeating stuff we already know. Unfortunately we are again at a point when consultations should be happening now but there has been no information forthcoming. Whilst LRCH have all these agreements in principle, these mean little without the formal planning approval, and with the plans not yet anywhere near being submitted I stongly suspect we will have another delay to the opening date, if indeed the project ever happens.

TBH I totally agree. Just wonder what seems to be reposting the articles. I don’t think the project is on anyone’s mind so seems a random thing to start reposting. I can’t really see this happening in all honesty. Been talking about it too long now. Shame as it would be about 5mins from my front door

Alton Towers is lacking in a lot of areas but it is overall a fun day out. However, with the new park in Kent it may have a competition on its hands.

No. 

There are so many reasons. Alton Towers is so far away from where London Resort is supposed to be being built, and as time goes by, it's becoming increasingly likely that it just won't go ahead altogether.

I agree. The paramount park will probably never get built anyway?