• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Plans For UK's Biggest Theme Park Face Huge Setback Because Of Tiny Spider

Home> News

Updated 21:20 2 Mar 2022 GMTPublished 21:17 2 Mar 2022 GMT

Plans For UK's Biggest Theme Park Face Huge Setback Because Of Tiny Spider

The planned location for the park has been met with a backlash by environmental campaigners

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

A tiny spider has created a setback for a £3.5 billion UK theme park, after both the BBC and ITV pulled out of its plans. 

The London Resort, which is set to open in Swanscombe in Kent, had planned to have both broadcasters onboard so it could feature rides inspired by hit shows such as Doctor Who, Sherlock and Thunderbirds. 

However, plans for the park have been met with a backlash by nature lovers who are concerned about the impact it may have on the distinguished jumping spider - a critically endangered species that measures just 1cm and lives on land near where the proposed park would be built. 

Last November the area was declared a site of special interest due to its variety of wildlife, the Mail Online reports. 

Advert

Natural England has said more than 1,700 invertebrate species call the area home - including a quarter of the UK’s water beetles. 

The London Resort

Nature-loving group Save Swanscombe Peninsula urged the BBC to rethink its support of the park. 

Following the pressure from campaigners, BBC and ITV have both now announced they are no longer in commercial agreements with the park. 

A spokesperson from the BBC told the MailOnline: “BBC Studios has no commercial agreement in place with London Resort and no current plans to enter into any agreement. 

Advert

“We would only consider doing so should there be clear and decisive evidence that the project would have a net positive environmental impact.”

While an ITV spokesperson said: “ITV's arrangement with the London Resort was that we were a potential licensor of one of our children's brands, which was Thunderbirds.

Wiki Commons/Anatoliy Ozernoy

“We can confirm that ITV no longer has a commercial arrangement with London Resort as the agreement has now ended. This means that Thunderbirds will not be a part of the park.”

Buglife - an insect charity - welcomed the decision, with chief executive Matt Shardlow telling the MailOnline: “The theme of this wildlife oasis is nature and it must remain so.

Advert

“We welcome ITV's full recognition of the environmental harm this misplaced theme park would cause.”

The London Resort’s plans reveal it would be split into six different themed areas, including a sci-fi zone and a fairytale land; there would also be three hotels and a water park. 

A spokesperson for The London Resort said: “Nobody ever said major infrastructure projects were easy or quick. We look forward to delivering the first top tier theme park for the UK.”

Featured Image Credit: The London Resort

Topics: UK News

Claire Reid
Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

an hour ago
2 hours ago
3 hours ago
  • Getty Images/ Viktoriya SkorikovaGetty Images/ Viktoriya Skorikova
    an hour ago

    New weight loss pill for people scared of needles could be available in the UK by next year

    Mounjaro's manufacturer Eli Lilly has revealed that the pill are hoping to 'offer a convenient, once-daily pill' to the masses

    News
  • NBC10 Philadelphia / YouTubeNBC10 Philadelphia / YouTube
    an hour ago

    Young baseball fan who had ball ‘stolen’ by woman in viral clip shares heartbreaking response

    The team ended up reaching out to the young fan

    News
  • SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP via Getty ImagesSEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP via Getty Images
    2 hours ago

    Doctor accused of poisoning patients so he could save their lives with CPR

    Frédéric Péchier's alleged practices resulted in the deaths of 12 people

    News
  • Franco Origlia/Getty ImagesFranco Origlia/Getty Images
    3 hours ago

    What happens next after ‘God's influencer’ teen born in UK is made saint

    London-born Carlo Acutis, known as 'God's influencer', became the first millennial saint on Sunday

    News
  • EuroMillions winner plans to turn estate into a theme park after £148,000,000 win
  • Exciting update on UK's biggest water park which will cost £250 million to build
  • What happened to UK Universal Studios theme park after exciting plans were announced in 2023
  • Eerie abandoned theme park still has staff working there with loophole making it hard for them to leave