Park dubbed 'UK Disneyland' confirmed to go ahead next year

'To all the naysayers and doom-mongers, the London Resort is going ahead, as planned'

Despite delays and local opposition, the boss of 'UK's Disneyland' has confirmed the park will go ahead next year. The £2.5billion build was first announced in 2012, with the initial open date planned 2019. However, due to Covid, disagreements with locals, and wildlife protection laws, the park was delayed. Resort boss Py Gerbeau ran into another hurdle last month after the area where the park is planned was designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSS1).

Gerbeau has now confirmed that the project is still going ahead and will open in 2024. There will be "subtle" design changes to protect the unique lands near the resort, reports Kent Online. Gerbeaud said: "We remain committed to providing the examining authority with the new and updated documents as previously promised. "We can also confirm, as previously indicated that we will be addressing the full range of issues in relation to time-dependant information being sufficiently current and will, as a matter of normal process in any examination, be supplementing our reports with additional information."

The park is located between Gravesend and Dartford and is set over 535 acres, making it the biggest theme park investment in Europe since Disneyland Paris in 1992. The park has partnered with BBC Studios, ITV, and Paramount and will be sectioned into six themed lands, a water park, three hotels, and a shopping district. Each section will be uniquely designed to represent the theme, which includes Blockbuster movies, Fairytale land, King Arthur, futuristic land, and the jungle. Plans for a prehistoric area are also in the works.

The park will house two rollercoasters, one of which will reach speeds of 70mph and be the fastest in Europe. The second will be more family friends, and a third 'dark ride' will employ technology to create a Jurrasic Park-like experience. There will also be a 1,500 person arena with a stage for live entertainment, as well as an 'active dig site' where you can live your best dinosaur hunter fantasy. A second park, pegged for 2029, will expand on the London Resort and, when completed, make it bigger than 136 Wembley stadiums.