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Plans to build northern Eden Project on Lancashire coast move one step closer
If approved, Eden Project North is predicted to attract around one million visitors a year and employ over 400 people
Plans to build a northern version of the Eden Project on the coast of Lancashire have been submitted for approval today.
Eden Project North will be the northern answer to the massively popular flagship Eden Project attraction, located in Cornwall, with an aims to showcase sustainable design while reimagining the British seaside resort for the 21st century.
If the plans are approved, the northern attraction would be located along Morecambe Bay on the former site of the Bubbles leisure complex with ‘shell-like’ domes surrounded by outdoor gardens. Two restaurants are also planned, with both featuring indoor and outdoor seating and boasting views across Morecambe Bay.
Eden Project North
The new attraction is also said to combine exhibits, performance, learning, play, immersive experiences, horticulture, live music, art, food, beverage and retail spaces. Public access to the promenade running around the edge of the Eden site would not be affected and access to some outdoor gardens would also be possible without buying an admission ticket.
The team behind the project is still working on securing funding and, this month, has submitted a business case to the government appealing for £70m of public investment in Eden Project North.
David Harland, chief executive of Eden Project International, told the BBC: “This is a huge moment for Eden Project North but we are not resting on our laurels. The hard work continues and we hope to have positive news about funding for the project before the end of this year.”
Eden Project North
The official Eden Project website states: “The project has far-reaching environmental, social and economic ambitions, but above all it will be a day out that inspires a sense of wonder and connection with the natural world.
“Eden Project North will be a ticketed visitor attraction that is sustainable and transformative, with large indoor environments, housed within iconic pavilions, at its heart. It will build on the Eden Project in Cornwall’s particular mix of entertainment and education, leaving visitors with lasting memories as well as driving positive behavioural change.”
If approved, the Eden Project North will be completed in 2024.
Located in Cornwall, the original Eden Project attraction has proven to be massively popular since its opening in 2001, with it been named as the one of the most visited tourist attractions in both Cornwall and Devon in 2019.