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CONNECTING WITH NATURE
Work is about to start on the landmark Eden Project that will connect visitors to the natural world and celebrate the unique environment of Morecambe Bay
The Eden Project was recently awarded £50m in the second round of the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund to build the new Eden Project Morecambe.
The bid was chosen as a recipient of the largest investment possible under the fund, earmarked for large-scale, cultural regeneration projects.
P reparatory groundwork will now be undertaken on the site on the Morecambe seafront, a vital prelude to construction beginning. The Eden Project team will ensure the community is kept informed about the construction schedule through its social media channels, local media and a revamped series of community engagement events.
A n expanded project delivery team will be created in preparation for the construction phase with details of the first round of recruitment to be announced soon. Around 300 high-quality green jobs will be directly created by Eden Project Morecambe, with more than 1,000 additional new jobs in the region.
The £50m investment is half of the £100m needed to build the coastal-themed project. The funding allows the project to move into its next phase and begin the process of finalising the remaining £50m from private and philanthropic sources.
Annual visitor numbers are projected to be 740,000 and additional revenue brought into local businesses due to Eden Project Morecambe is set to exceed the £50m Government investment, within months of the project opening.
Preparation for construction is due to start this year and the aim is for Eden Project Morecambe to be open to visitors by 2026.
Eden Project Morecambe is being delivered by the team behind the first Eden Project in Cornwall, alongside local partners Lancaster University, Lancaster City Council, Lancashire County Council and the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership. It is one of the key initiatives in an expansion plan that will see Eden Projects built elsewhere in the UK and around the world.
Welcoming the funding announcement, Rob Chatwin, Group CEO of the Eden Project: “This is a historic moment for the town of Morecambe and the surrounding area and for the Eden Project and our partners.
“ We are delighted that Eden Project Morecambe has been recognised as part of the Levelling Up Fund and we are incredibly grateful to the Government, our partners, David Morris MP and the unique community of Morecambe for their wholehearted support. This is a ringing endorsement of the teamwork that has brought Eden Project Morecambe to this point. We will now continue to work hard with our partners to make this vision a reality.”
Debbie Francis OBE, Chair of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, which contributed £1.2m from its Growth Deal Programme to help develop the project, said: “This funding is fantastic news for Morecambe and Lancashire as a whole. Eden Project Morecambe is a truly transformational scheme that embodies the ethos of Levelling Up and shows what can be achieved through partnership working.
“ The project will have an immense economic, social and environmental impact on the county. Eden is an international brand which will not only attract visitors to the area but will create significant job opportunities directly and indirectly in our local supply chains, stimulating growth in some of our key sectors, as well as enhancing our already significant environmental research expertise.”
Sarah Kemp, Lancaster University Pro Vice-Chancellor for Engagement, said:
“As an anchor institution we are deeply invested in the health and vitality of our regional economy and the university has long championed the idea of Eden coming to the North of England.
“ We are delighted to see that idea taking a step closer to becoming a reality and look forward to building on our partnerships, bringing the full strength of Lancaster University’s research expertise in environment, sustainability and enterprise power to the table for the benefit of our region.”
Eden Project Morecambe will be a landmark attraction for the North West which will continue the Eden Project’s mission of connecting people to the natural world, celebrating the unique environment of Morecambe Bay.
E den Project Morecambe will be situated on the central promenade of Morecambe, on the former site of the Bubbles leisure complex with the Grade II listed Winter Gardens and Midland Hotel its nearby neighbours. The project has been designed in a way which is sensitive and complementary to these important buildings and sightlines across the bay.
