The government has committed £50m towards the £100m Eden Project Morecambe, with the remaining £50m coming from private and philanthropic funds.
The first £2.5m from the government has now been released, enabling the procurement of a design team to begin.
The design team, to be procured through the North West Construction Hub, will further develop existing designs to prepare the project for the construction phase.
Eden Project Morecambe will be built on the former site of the Bubbles leisure complex, near the Winter Gardens and Midland Hotel. Its shell-like domes will be constructed in timber and covered in a flexible transparent membrane with integrated solar cells. The content of the domes is being developed by the Eden Project’s Experience Development team, formerly known as Eden Project International.
Surrounding the buildings will be a collection of outdoor gardens, designed to reflect the flora, geology and rhythms of their coastal environment.
The project is being delivered in partnership with Lancaster City Council, Lancashire County Council and Lancaster University.
Si Bellamy, the Eden Project’s chief transformation officer, said: “This is a crucial step on the road to making Eden Project Morecambe a reality. The release of this investment from the government will enable us to undertake the work needed to ensure that Eden Project Morecambe design is maturing at pace and prepares the way for a site activation.
“We will work closely with the North West Construction Hub and our project partners to ensure that we can secure the services of leading contractors while also representing the best use of public funds.”
Councillor Catherine Potter, Lancaster City Council cabinet member with responsibility for the visitor economy, community wealth building and culture, said: “We’re all eager to see ‘spades in the ground’ and there has been an awful lot of work taking place behind the scenes to ensure the project progresses as swiftly as possible. Securing this funding is another significant milestone and brings the vision of Eden Project Morecambe one step closer.”
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