PARKED UP
After 10 years of hype – what London theme park dubbed ‘UK Disneyland’ really looks like today
THE HUGE London theme park dubbed "UK Disneyland" was announced more than 10 years ago - but where is it now?
Compared to Disneyland due to the size of the project, the London Resort was first revealed in 2012 - but has run into problems ever since.
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Planned to be built in Kent, TikTok user Phil visited the area - and showed the huge land area with nothing built on it.
He said: "We're on the Swanscombe Peninsula to the east of London which is just basically a massive barren bit of wasteland."
He continued: "Last week the company trying to build what's called the London Resort went into administration [...] and they haven't even put a spade in the ground yet."
Phil explained many of the reasons why - including the finding of a rare jumping spider, leading to the area being designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 2021.
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He also said other problems were the current infrastructure, with the roads often gridlocked even before thousands more would visit the area.
However, he did say he thought it was a good location.
He said: "I think the Swanscombe Peninsula would be a good place to build it."
While he joked it would be "the first good reason to visit Kent," he said its proximity to Bluewater Shopping Centre means families could spend a few days there.
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He finished by saying: "I hope they build something up there because I love theme parks, I love the idea of huge bits of engineering existing.
He added saying he thinks something much smaller could be built there, rather than their huge designs.
The London Resort's original plans hoped it would be three times larger than any other UK theme park, equivalent to 136 Wembley Stadiums.
Also the biggest investment in Europe since Disneyland Paris in 1992, there were initially plans for six lands, with partners such as Paramount, BBC and ITV.
Despite hopes for rides based on big names such as Mission Impossible and Doctor Who, all three of them have since pulled out.
Last week, Gareth Johnson, MP for Dartford, told The Sun he considered the scheme to be "dead in the water".
He explained: "In my eyes, the SSSI registration has ended the possibility of a theme park. I now see this site's future as a nature reserve.
"The development company has consistently failed to engage with the community on this matter. Locals felt it was being forced upon them."
Despite this, London Resort Company Holdings (LRCH) says the project is still ongoing, with new proposals for the development to be submitted later this year.
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