Work has commenced on a massive new waterpark in Greater Manchester, and it sounds as if it’s going to be pretty incredible when it's done.
It’s set to be called Therme Manchester and it’s going to cost around £250 million.
Situated right next to the Trafford Centre on the site of Event City – which has been destroyed – it will be connected to Manchester city centre via the Metrolink, as well as sitting just off the M60 motorway.
Easy enough to get to, then.
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When it’s done, it will be the UK’s first and only waterpark, spa, and wellness retreat, with a whole load of interesting stuff going on.
They’re aiming to have it all finished by 2025, so there’s plenty to be done, but CGI photos can give us a good idea of what it will eventually be like when it’s not just a building site.
Those behind the project say it’ll be a ‘beacon for the North West of England’ and will have loads to do for all ages and budgets.
There’s going to be 35 slides, 30 pools, and even swim-up bars and an ‘urban beach’.
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On top of that, there’ll be botanic gardens, real palm trees, and even ‘living slides’ that are covered in plants.
That last one is a bit hard to imagine, but we’ll see!
Peel L&P are the folks behind the project, and they’ve now done shifting everything off the 28,000 square metre site, which means that things can really get started now.
The project is thought to be worth £4.5 billion to the area, with 1,200 jobs created along the way.
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There’s also a commitment to wellbeing, environmental concern, and sustainability from the group behind the waterpark resorts – Therme Group.
They’ll even be developing the cycle-path network in the area so as to make things more environmentally friendly.
Therme Group said that they are ‘committed to maximising these elements as they look to encourage both active and sustainable connectivity with the city and nearby neighbourhoods to encourage the concept of Wellbeing Cities’.
James Whittaker from Peel L&P said: “Therme Manchester is a landmark development for the North and something the UK has never seen before.
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"It’s incredibly exciting to see the land being prepared to welcome the resort to TraffordCity and we’re proud to help bring such an amazing attraction to the North West which we know will be enjoyed by so many people across the country whether it’s for a fun family day out, relaxation or educational trips."
Richard Land, Therme Group UK’s Chief Development Office, said: "We are delighted to see the demolition works complete; it is fantastic to see the site cleared and showing its amazing potential to be a global wellbeing destination. It defines a key milestone for us as we continue our journey to bring Therme to Manchester, a perfect location for our first facility in the UK."
Tom Wood