The London Resort is set to become one of London’s biggest tourism draws once it opens in 2024. With themed attractions from the BBC, ITV, and Paramount IPs as well as luxurious London Resort hotels, this multi-billion project has been described as the entertainment destination of the future.
CEO PY Gerbeau, the brains behind The Millennium Dome and Disneyland Paris, said in an interview with GDR UK, “It’s not a theme park, it’s much more than that. It’s pretty much what we feel should be the entertainment destination of the future.”
When the project was first announced in 2012, people were hard-pressed to imagine that a corner of the Swanscombe peninsula could house an experience centre as massive as The London Resort. But now, the project is gaining momentum with images released of the six-themed lands and supportive results from the recent public consultation. This project has the potential to emerge as a widely popular tourist hub like the London Eye and Big Ben.
What is The London Resort All About?
The recent layout plans have been nothing but promising. There are six proposed themed lands to satisfy people of all ages. If successful with the Development Consent Order (DCO) application, construction will begin in 2022 with a view of opening The London Resort in 2024.
The adventure begins with The Studio, which would boast of attractions based on Paramount’s library of films such as The Godfather, Star Trek, Mission Impossible, and more. British culture will also be showcased with this world-class theme park that brings iconic characters like Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Who to life.
For people who love fairy tales, The Woods will immerse visitors into a whimsical world of fantasy and reality. Kids and adults alike can enjoy those good-old fables and magical creatures from those bedtime stories.
The Isles and The Jungle, which make up the next two segments, are all about enchanting forests and mythical creatures. After all, who does not want to be at a place where 21st-century technology meets brilliant storytelling. The final and the most exciting leg of The London Resort rides is at Starport, a one-stop destination for all those stargazers and sci-fi fans.
The London Resort will also house a large indoor waterpark for phase 2 of the development. This second gate is expected to open in 2029. A significant portion of the theme park is also covered, so the enthusiasm will not get dampened by the unpredictable London showers.
With 3,550 bedrooms in four hotels, a waterpark, and a massive convention centre, they plan to reinvent the wheel by embracing e-sports in the park events and attractions. In addition to the six-themed lands and water resort, they are also building a three-story replica of The Colosseum which includes a space for innovators, video game developers, and an arena for e-sports to hold major championships and massive streaming events.
How Will It Impact the Surroundings?
With the park in the works since the year 2012, many civil society groups have raised concern since the park is situated right next to River Thames. Through various measures that include partnerships with renewable-solutions organisations and public consultations, the project is now about a sustainable theme park that would be a middle ground for ecological safety and entertainment value. PY Gerbeau has made it clear through multiple statements that meeting The London Resort sustainability goal is their top priority.
For starters, a large part of the area, including Broadness Marsh and Black Duck Marsh, would be left untouched. The Local Wildlife Site and other designated zones for animals would also be out of bounds for both construction activity and human movement. Most importantly, the strategically planned walkways will give nature-enthusiasts an opportunity to access the regions that were previously off-limits.
Finally, in what became one of the biggest sustainability partnerships in the world of theme parks, The London Resort and EDF Energy have joined hands to achieve an ambitious net-zero emissions goal. The natural gas company has been given the go-ahead to undertake renewable energy generation activities for a period of 25 years. It means that visitors can have a fun-filled time at this London amusement park without being guilty of leaving a huge carbon footprint.
“We are going to spend about 3% more than what we should spend to become operationally Net-carbon neutral because there’s no way we are going to attract talent if we are gas guzzlers,” Gerbeau explained.
Besides safeguarding the environment, The London Resort is expected to open up an array of opportunities for the local businesses in North Kent. The scope for economic development and employment will indeed be higher, and organizations like the Thames Gateway Kent Partnership and South East Local Enterprise Partnership are already rooting for its success.
What Are the Locals Saying?
After a successful round of The London Resort public consultation, which lasted for about eight weeks, it came to light that a resounding number of people are happy about the recent developments. While almost 84% of the respondents are in favour of the project, the feedback of those who did not approve of it is constantly being reviewed. With the London tourism industry expected to resuscitate after the COVID-19 pandemic wanes and UK investment figures in an upward trajectory, the timing of the park’s opening could not have been any better.