West Midland Safari Park £80m Expansion

Wyre Forest District Council has resolved unanimously to grant planning permission for an £80m indoor water park, 250-bedroom hotel, spa and 1000-delegate conference centre at West Midland Safari Park in Worcestershire. The planning application was submitted by RPS, who also provided EIA, landscape, heritage, ecology, transport and flood risk advice.

Nick Laister, Senior Director with RPS’ Oxford office, says: “This development will turn the safari park into an all-year resort and create hundreds of jobs in the area. Around 290 more full time jobs at the Park are anticipated to arise around the expansion, with the Park hoping to recruit from the local area as per its usual practice.”

Plans were initially announced in November 2011 and the application was submitted in August 2014.

The water park, which is Phase 1 of the development, is designed to deliver seven waterslides, a splash area, wave pool, external river rapids and a 200-seat restaurant. The expansion will be delivered over the next 10 years, with the waterpark expected to open in 2017.

Nick Laister has achieved a number of planning permissions for the attractions industry in 2015, including the new Peter Rabbit attraction at Willows Activity Farm and a new display building for the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu.