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Proposed new theme park for Wiltshire

Ian

Ian

From CoasterForce
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RAF Lyneham, approximately 15 miles west of Swindon in Wiltshire (View on Google maps) is to be closed in September 2012. Newspaper tycoon and author Eddy Shah has come up with plans to redevelop the site to include a theme park inside the old hanger, which would “rival Disney” (1) If this goes ahead, it will be the largest indoor theme park in the world. (2)

I contacted Mr Shah directly who has kindly sent the plans to me as they are not available online :wink: …until now!
rafmapplans.jpg

(If you plan to post this on another site, please do the honourable thing and credit CoasterForce for going to the effort to obtain them!)

Mr Shah mentioned that his company sees "beyond just theme parks, more about wasteland being used for a variety of trades and situations", therefore the plans also include an eco village with 1000 dwellings, a “Centre Parcs” style holiday village and hotel, a county showground and a Wiltshire heritage area.

The 430 acre themed area (coloured pink on the above plans) will include:
  • An outdoor theme park. As these plans are only in their infancy, exact ride information is currently non-existent.
  • An outdoor water park.
  • A snow dome.
  • A Lyneham RAF heritage museum.
  • A children’s fun-themed hotel.
  • Lakes and gardens.

There is a chance that this development won’t go ahead, although a town meeting to discuss this proposal has been scheduled in Wooton Basset for 6th April so we should have a clearer picture next Thursday morning.

Obviously the theme park area is of interest to me so I’m hoping it is the preferable development. With easy access from the M4 and a theme park drought in that area of the England, it would be very welcome indeed.

I hope to have more information to share with you later.

Sources
1. Swindon Advertiser
2. Wooton Basset School
 
Wow!
Great research well paid off.

I love the idea of a theme park being designed by a novellist, I'd expect really in depth storylines and theming, this is really exciting!
I hope this goes ahead, but when something sounds too good to be true...
 
I noticed this on the news this morning. From what they said, I can't see this being very likely to happen. They made it sound like this is just one of a number of proposals for the site, so I wouldn't go getting your hopes up.
 
I noticed this come through yesterday, but I wrote it off as the term 'theme park' being used as a general term for an entertainment complex, in the way the media often does.

However if they do actually plan on actually putting rollercoasters etc in, nice one.
 
Ian said:
There is a chance that this development won’t go ahead
Click to expand...

This.

It's nice that the Shah bloke e-mailed CF the plans and everything, but it doesn't mean we have to look at this never-in-a-million-years proposal any differently to the others we see on a regular basis.
 
Yeah, I see what you mean. To be honest, I've only just looked on how close it will actually be to the houses etc around the edge of the base. It's going to be hard to please all them locals (or are most of them the officer's homes etc?)
 
We see the words 'theme park' and instantly think of an amusment syle part, where as lot of places use that term loosey. After all, a park with a theme doesn't require coasters.
 
Superb piece of work Ian! I'd love to see a park out that way. I can't imagine it'll be world beating, but it's all got to start somewhere.
 
Can't say I am massively happy that RAF Lynham is closing since my dad works there but the development plans sure look interesting. Especially as this is just down the road from my offices.
 
Top notch research as always Ian, although, as has been said, I doubt it'll come to anything - those plans are just ridiculously overblown. Still, worth keeping an eye on.

I don't think I'm leaving the country again, every time I go away something exciting gets announced, last time LC12, now Alton and this....
 
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