The London Resort was an ambitious plan (Image: The London Resort)
Locals have been left in despair after , dubbed ‘UK ‘, which would have sprawled across an area equivalent to 136 Wembley Stadiums, collapsed, with businesses “left to rot”.
Resort, first unveiled in 2012, tantalised with promises of six roller coasters, enchanting themed areas, and a majestic fairytale castle on the Thames Estuary near Dartford, Kent.
This grand vision was set to be triple the size of any existing UK theme park, with artist impressions depicting luxurious hotels offering 3,500 rooms and two new ferry terminals, while pledging to create 33,000 jobs for the local community. However, after thirteen years mired in legal and planning quagmires, the so-called “Dartford Disneyland” met its demise when the High Court pushed LRCH, the company behind the venture, into insolvency last week.
Since the announcement, locals have endured a nightmare rather than a fairytale, with potential demolition hanging over their businesses and investment dwindling, leading to a sense of abandonment. Initially named Paramount Entertainment Resort, the project captured the imagination of residents with prospects of Mission: Impossible and Star Trek attractions, alongside potential collaborations with Aardman Animation, the creators of Wallace and Gromit.
There were initial hopes for Doctor Who and Top Gear-themed rides after a partnership with the was announced. However, local optimism for job creation and infrastructure development quickly soured.
The Swanscombe Peninsula in Kent (Image: ITV News)
In 2014, council staff sparked outrage when nine senior members embarked on a £15,000 “fact finding” trip to several Florida theme parks. Three years later, with no signs of work commencing, Paramount withdrew from the deal, reports
Despite this setback causing turmoil in the plans, developers persisted, setting a new opening date for 2023. In 2021, the scheme finally submitted plans to the Government.
However, the discovery of a rare species, the 1cm across distinguished jumping spider, found only on the land earmarked for the park, proved to be the final blow to the plans. According to The Sun, environmental campaigners sought to block the project, and Natural England considered designating the site a Site of Special Scientific Importance (SSSI) due to the presence of the spider.
This marked the beginning of the end for the resort dream. The planning application was withdrawn after and ITV bosses pulled out, but the legacy of the park proposal continues to loom over the community.
A previously issued visual prepared for the Hollywood-styled fairground to rival Disneyland which was once planned for Kent (Image: Paramount London / SWNS)
Businesses on the land designated for development faced uncertainty due to potential compulsory purchase orders, leading some to delay repairs and expansion plans.
Residents had given up hope after the plans were initially rejected, Mark West, director of a local accident repair shop, told the Sun: “We were all under the impression they were gonna bulldoze it, so what was the point of spending any money? “.
The area has become neglected, with Snack van owner Joe Smith, 37, adding: “It used to be lovely – now it’s just a place people come to dump cars. Sadly it’s just a godforsaken hellhole that’s been left to rot,”.
Following the park’s demise, LRCH, the company behind the project, released a statement: “The dream of the London Resort has been ended by the courts.”
The company claimed that Natural England had “fatally wounded” the scheme, and that a single creditor had “killed it” and dashed the UK’s hopes of “competing on the envisaged scale of London Resort.”.
Kuwaiti businessman Dr Abdulla Al-Humaidi, who funded the project, previously told KentOnline that the park’s failure had “destroyed his life” and left him bankrupt. He claims he is now unable to return to his homeland due to the risk of imprisonment, following legal action from investors who accused him of dreaming up a project that was actually “fictitious”.
Dr Al-Humaidi, who resigned from the company’s board in 2022, attributes the project’s failure to the UK’s “broken” planning system. Peninsular Management group, representing several firms on the estate, is fighting to regain local planning control over the site.
Chairman Doug Hilton expressed relief that the park had not been constructed: “It just goes to show that in fact the planning system has worked and how much chronic damage a naive young man with a lot of money can do,” he remarked.