Eden Project Morecambe Gets Approval
The £100m Eden Project Morecambe received approval after scaling back its original design from four signature domes to two. The major UK garden and ecological attraction will rise on an 11-acre coastal site, representing an important milestone for public gardens and sustainability education.
- The project is backed by £50 million from the UK Government's Levelling Up Fund, half of the total £100 million required. The remaining £50 million is being raised from a combination of private and philanthropic sources. - Designed by Grimshaw Architects, the firm behind the original Eden Project in Cornwall, the revised plan features two main shell-shaped structures: the "Realm of the Sun" and the "Realm of the Moon". This change reduced the total internal space from a planned 185,000 sq ft to 91,500 sq ft. - Construction is slated to begin in 2026, with a phased opening. A 1.5-acre community garden, acting as a gateway to the site, is scheduled to open to the public in the spring of 2027, with the entire attraction expected to be open by winter 2028. - The project is projected to create approximately 300 direct jobs and support an additional 1,000 jobs in the wider regional economy. Annual visitor forecasts were revised down from 1 million to 585,000 following the design changes. - The attraction will be built on the derelict site of the former Bubbles Leisure Complex and Superdome on Morecambe's promenade. A central feature will be the permanent installation of the "Bring Me Sunshine Garden," which is set to debut at the 2026 RHS Chelsea Flower Show. - The development is a partnership between the Eden Project and local bodies including Lancaster City Council, Lancashire County Council, Lancaster University, and the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership. - The original Eden Project in Cornwall, which opened in 2001, has welcomed over 20 million visitors and is credited with contributing more than £2 billion to the regional economy.
