Yesterday, Wednesday 30th March, Runnymede Council granted THORPE PARK full planning consent to build their new 130 ft (or 127 ft to be precise) roller coaster codenamed LC12!
The ride will be located on the island opposite Stealth and Flying Fish and will feature four death defying inversions! The roller coaster will be manufactured by the ‘Rolls Royce’ of roller coasters Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) and will be their second and largest Wing rider coaster!
The theme is urban devastation to fit in with the 2012 apocalypse beliefs and has been researched heavily by the park. With some of the theme elements, including crashed aircrafts, having already drawn criticism from the British Airline and Pilot Association (BALPA) who branded it tasteless due to the theme park’s proximity to Heathrow Airport, Mike Vallis, Divisional Director at THORPE PARK, comments: “We’re absolutely ecstatic with the decision as we’re incredibly excited about the new ride. It is something that cannot be
Plane crash theming - click to view full size
found anywhere else in the country and the exceptional theme elements will enhance the experience. The whole project has been heavily researched and the results showed unequivocal support for the theme of urban
devastation.” The new rollercoaster is the first investment of THORPE PARK’s Medium Term Development plans that were also granted by the Council yesterday and marks a significant stage in THORPE PARK moving towards a short break destination, and ultimately becoming a resort positioning with a hotel proposal also in development.
So this is all brilliant news. Not only have plans for LC12 been granted permission, the other elements that form the MTDP (Medium Term Development Plan) have been granted, including the hotel! But THORPE PARK becoming a resortseems just a bit weird, they have one hotel planned but what about things like a mini golf course, water park, entertainment/shopping village or other resort features? We’ll find out in the next MTDP.
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