Green light for revised £100m Eden Project Morecambe 

The long-awaited attraction, expected to act as a catalyst for the regeneration of the coastal resort, could finally get going this year after Lancaster City Council gave the go-ahead to the “recalibrated” proposal.

Billed as the game-changer Morecambe needs, Eden Project Morecambe is a £100m attraction that it is estimated could welcome 500,000 visitors a year once built.

As expected, today’s [Monday] planning meeting saw Lancaster City Council gave its backing to the project for the second time. The authority granted planning permission for a much larger version of the scheme four years ago.

John Pye, project director, Eden Project Morecambe, said: “With planning permission now secured and formal agreements currently being finalised, the project moves forward with confidence.

“This marks a hugely significant moment for Eden Project Morecambe and for the entire community that has travelled this journey with us.”

Designed by Grimshaw Architects, Eden Project Morecambe would be constructed on the 11-acre former Bubbles Leisure Complex and Superdome site on the town’s promenade.

The project underwent a “strategic recalibration” last year on viability grounds. While the version of the scheme approved in 2022 featured four domes totaling just shy of 200,000 sq ft, the built elements of the latest iteration total less than 100,000 sq ft.

Meanwhile, the external spaces – including the 1.5-acre Bring me Sunshine Garden due to be showcased at the Chelsea Flower Show in May – have been enhanced.

The version of the attraction approved today [Monday] features two domed eco-systems, the Realm of the Sun and the Realm of the Moon.

The two ‘shells’ would be connected by the 7,750 sq ft Metronome building – the arrival point for guests.

The 18,300 sq ft Realm of the Moon, covered by darkened paneling, would feature the Tidal Theatre experience – a simulated cycle of day and night expected to emulate the rising and falling tides of Morecambe Bay.

A hyper-real forest, with live plants fused with artistic installations, kinetic sculptures, and immersive experiences, would be found within the larger 41,700 sq ft Realm of the Sun.

The Rhythm Garden and All Seasons Garden, also feature. Rhythm Gardens, the larger of the two, would be an open-air space capable of hosting events and performances.

The original approved application can be viewed using the planning reference number 21/01113/FUL. For the latest proposals, use 25/01118/VCN on Lancaster City Council’s planning portal. Ridge, TEP, and WSP are advising on the scheme.

Applicant Eden Project Morecambe is owned by the Eden Trust educational charity, which is behind a similar scheme in St Austell, Cornwall.

The company is delivering the Morecambe scheme with Lancaster City Council, Lancashire County Council, and Lancaster University, and expects it to welcome 500,000 visitors a year once open in 2028.

The complexity of the project and various economic headwinds have held back delivery to date. Eden Project, which appointed a dedicated project director to see the scheme through last year, is confident of a start on site this year, although a contractor is yet to be appointed.

Andy Jasper, chief executive of the Eden Project, said: “Getting the green light to begin building is an incredibly exciting milestone – and a momentous one to be celebrating in our 25th anniversary year.

“Relationships have always been at the heart of our charity’s mission – our connections with nature, with people, with place and with the planet. The community gardens, the first phase of development, will embody this ethos from day one.”