Construction for the first phase of Kynren – The Storied Lands, a new historical theme park set to open in the UK in 2026, has been approved.
Kynren – The Storied Lands will be a daytime attraction within the wider Kynren park in Bishop Auckland, County Durham.
The first phase of the plans were approved by Durham County Council’s planning committee on Thursday (17 April).

They include a 3,600-seat arena, a small lake, a landscaped hillside performance area and bridge, and other associated works for a bird show called The Lost Feather.
The Storied Lands will include five shows and immersive experiences in the first phase. These include the bird show and a walk-through experience set in Victorian England.
This will be created using the Victorian Village exhibition sold by Flambards theme park in Cornwall.
Other shows on offer will be a new Vikings experience, an aquatic attraction on a giant lake that retells the Lambton Worm legend, and an epic production named Fina.
Plans for Kynren bird show
Separate planning applications for the remaining shows are expected to be submitted in the near future.
The Storied Lands will join Kynren’s existing experience, Kynren – An Epic Tale of England. This will continue on Saturday nights with its 1,000-strong cast and crew of volunteers.
Kynren was originally developed in collaboration with Puy du Fou. Instead of coasters and rides, both concepts focus on providing incredible shows, immersive storytelling and themed experiences.

Anna Warnecke, CEO at Kynren, said earlier this year: “This is a game-changer for us and for the UK visitor experience market.
“For the past decade, we have poured passion and expertise into delivering Kynren – An Epic Tale of England, and now we are bringing that same level of scale, innovation, and magic into this new daytime attraction.
“You won’t just witness history – you’ll live it, feel it, and be moved by it.”
Images courtesy of 11Arches