Residents near Dartford have been left with a ‘kick in the nuts’ after a long-planned ‘British Disneyland project was finally scrapped after year of legal wrangling
The demise of a proposed “British Disneyland” has left locals frustrated and reeling.
With at least six roller coasters planned, according to artists’ impressions, along with luxury hotels and posh restaurants, the impressive theme-park project was officially canned this month. A number of residents near the 372-acre site at Swanscombe Peninsula, near Dartford, Kent have been left feeling like the decision was a “kick in the nuts”.
The £2.5billion Paramount Entertainment Resort was first announced in 2012 and would have been three times larger than any other in the UK. But debts of more than £100million and a number of planning issues have meant the park, which would have seen two new ferry terminals built and up to 33,000 jobs created, is no more.
The company behind the Kent project, London Resort Company Holdings (LRCH), was forced into liquidation at the High Court.
“All of a sudden they pulled the plug – it was a bit of a kick in the nuts really,” Mark West, director of local accident repair shop Barney Sands said to The Sun.
“It’s not even a relief it’s over, because the estate is in such a state because in some way there’s no going back.
“We were all under the impression they were gonna bulldoze it, so what was the point of spending any money?”
Snack van owner Joe Smith said the area is now a “forgotten wasteland”. The 37-year-old added that the site “used to be lovely”, but is now a place “people come to dump cars”.
The dream died after years of legal wrangling with entertainment behemoth Paramount, who claimed they were owed millions due to contract breaches.
Hollywood producers, responsible for some of the most iconic films such as Titanic, the Indiana Jones series and The Godfather, had initially lent their name and intellectual property rights to the proposed park. This agreement would have allowed LRCH to use the names of its films, like Star Trek and the Mission: Impossible series, for its attractions – but Paramount later withdrew from the agreement.
Insiders said a “mortal blow” to the scheme was struck in 2021 when the site was declared a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) by Natural England, following environmental campaigners’ opposition to the plans.
Since then, LRCH had been struggling on, regularly promising to resubmit its plans but without making any substantial progress. The Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) status, listed on the Planning Inspectorate website as applying to LRCH, is likely to expire with the company, lifting the cloud of uncertainty that has hung over it.
Kuwaiti businessman Dr Abdulla Al-Humaidi, who spearheaded the project, conceded that his involvement had “destroyed” his life, claiming it tarnished his reputation and catapulted him into bankruptcy.
A spokesman for LRCH confirmed the unfortunate news in a statement which reads: “The dream of the London Resort has been ended by the courts. Natural England fatally wounded the scheme, a single creditor has killed it and, with it, any chance of the UK competing on the envisaged scale of London Resort.”
Steve Norris, ex-Transport Secretary and past LCRH chairmain called the venture’s collapse “a tragedy” for Britain.
He reflected: “I cannot comment on recent events since I resigned from LRCH some time ago, but I offer only one observation. Abdulla and his family put millions into the project. After ten years, we still have no planning consent, which speaks volumes about our sluggish planning system. A key factor in the Gulf financiers withdrawing support likely stemmed from disbelief over the UK government’s indifference to the resort.”
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