New Eden Project plan approved
People in Morecambe, Lancashire, are a step closer to having an Eden Project built in their town, on the north-west coast of England, after their local council gave planning permission for the £125 million attraction to go ahead.
The project, called Eden Project North, aims to help people understand and protect the marine environment, and would be built on Morecambe seafront by the same team that created the Eden Project in Cornwall. It would feature huge, shell-like domes called the Rhythm Machine, the Bay Glade, the Bay Hall and the Natural Observatory. Visitors will be able to see plants and art exhibits that represent the Sun, as well as theatre performances that reflect the Moon and sea tides. Indoor and outdoor restaurants and live music performances are also part of the plans.
Eden Project North is now looking for money and support to be able to go ahead with the new attraction, which it said would “reimagine the British seaside resort for the 21st century”, and has asked the Government to contribute £70 million. The project, which could be finished by 2024, is expected to create around 400 jobs for local people and bring as many as a million visitors to the seaside town each year. This would be a big help for local businesses including hotels, restaurants and shops.
The local Member of Parliament (MP), David Morris, said, “I am delighted that planning has been granted for Eden Project North – a hugely significant milestone for the project and an exciting day for Morecambe.”
The Eden Project in Cornwall, south-west
England, opened in 2001 and has large domes called biomes that are filled with plants and trees from all over the world. In 2017, more than a million people visited it. The Eden Project’s Simon Bellamy told the BBC that Eden Project North will be very different to the Cornish site and will include more about the sea.
“The Eden Project in Cornwall is about the connection with plants. This is about the connection with this wonderful environment here in Morecambe, the bay.”