The developer behind plans for the £3.5 billion London Resort theme park near Dartford in Kent, UK, has been closed down by a High Court Judge.
London Resort Company Holdings (LRCH) first unveiled plans for the destination in 2012. The attraction was designed to be the UK’s answer to Disneyland Paris with two theme parks across 535 acres of former industrial land on the Swanscombe Peninsula.
LRCH was issued a winding up order on 17 January at the High Court. This came after a judge deemed it had failed to keep up with payment agreements to its creditors.
A spokesperson for LRCH said: “The dream of the London Resort has been ended by the courts.
“Natural England fatally wounded the scheme, a large creditor has killed it, and with it any chance of the UK competing at the envisaged scale of the London Resort.”
LRCH withdrew a planning application for the resort in March 2022 after the Swanscombe Peninsula was designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) by Natural England. The site houses a rare spider.
In a statement (via the BBC), Natural England said: “The evidence for SSSI status was carefully assessed, and we worked with local people who had an interest in the site, including businesses, landowners and developers.
“Natural England is committed to maintaining these important relationships and working in collaboration to find solutions for the wildlife to thrive alongside the current and future uses of this special site.”
Puy du Fou, Universal parks planned for UK
The LRCH insolvency came after a a High Court battle with Paramount Pictures, which was set to lend its IPs to the park’s attractions. The entertainment giant was owed £13.5 million by London Resort Company Holdings, according to court documents.
Plans for the London Resort have been scrapped as the World Travel & Tourism Council issues a warning to ministers, saying the UK’s travel and tourism industry risks losing its global position due to a lack of investment and high taxes.
Fortunately, two major UK theme parks are planned – a £300m Puy du Fou near Bicester in Oxfordshire, and a Universal Studios theme park south of Bedford.
