75million

THE UK was set to have a record-breaking waterpark that would be open all year round – only for plans to be scrapped.

Elysium Water Park was originally planned to be built in Bournemouth and was due to open in 2023.

The proposed waterpark would have been the biggest in the UK and would have ‘put Dorset on the map’.

It would have been both an tropical indoor and outdoor waterpark drawing in plenty of visitors from all over the country.

Inside were plans for swimming pools, waterslides, transparent flumes and rapids.

There were plans to build a lagoon surf park too – developed through Adventure Out There 365.

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The lagoon itself would have cost £35million, made from a machine capable of producing more than 2,400 ocean-like waves per hour.

It also promised a “top quality wellness and beauty spa that offers a multitude of facilities including a sauna, hammam spas, massage and beauty treatments, exercise and dance options.”

“Elysium will offer so much more than just the core waterpark experience, and will also incorporate another significant trend, the water-based spa aimed at 18+ age group.”

It could have become a destination for weekend breaks too as proposals revealed plans for a 145-bedroom hotel and glamping site.

If it opened, the attraction would have provided 500 jobs and been able to welcome over one million visitors each year.

Building work was expected to start in 2019 but faced hurdles like delays during Covid as well as funding.

Another issue that led to the downfall of the attraction was to do with the area that the park was set to be built on.

The land was considered a green belt area – essentially open land to stop cities from extending too far.

It was also near a site of special interest, and didn’t have planning consent either.

The £75million project officially came to a halt when Elysium Water Park UK LTD was dissolved two years ago, according to Companies House.

Here are all the new water attractions set to open across the UK…

Chessington World of Adventures Resort

Back in 2024, the theme park submitted plans to build an African-themed waterpark with six waterslides, two lazy rivers and rapids.

If given the go-ahead, it will have a kids wave pool, splash pad, spa pool, a safari beach, cafe and outdoor restaurants.

Therme Manchester

When Therme Manchester opens, it will be the “largest water-based wellbeing destination in Europe“.

It will be every waterpark’s fan dream with spa and wellness facilities that will be split into three distinct zones – Play, Relax and Restore.

Great Wolf Lodge
Great Wolf Lodge wants to open a 50,000m² complex with a hotel, another an adventure park and the last, an indoor waterpark.

It will be lots of family-friendly pools, slides, rides and splash pads.

Seahive

While not a waterpark per se, Seahive is set to be a huge new water attraction near Deal in Kent.

If it gets the go-ahead, Seahive would be the world’s first surfing wellness resort with a dedicated surf lagoon for every skill level with waves ranging in size from 50cm to 2m.

The Cove Resort
Similar to Seahive, in Southport there will soon be Cove Resort which is a £75million new attraction with incredible views across the Irish Sea.

Visitors will be able to experience leisure activities like an outdoor lagoon with opportunities for surfing.

This tunnel is famous for its beautiful lighting and top air quality.

Norway has no shortage of beautiful roads. From snow capped mountains to glacial passes, a road trip through this gorgeous country means you will never be bored. It’s not just open road though – Norway is also home to one of the most beautiful tunnels in the world.

The Lærdal tunnel in West Norway is the longest road tunnel in the world, stretching 24.5 kilometres (15 miles) beneath a mountain range. It connects Aurland and Lærdal, in the heart of Sogn, and provides a ferry-free connection between Oslo and Bergen.

Construction of the tunnel began in 1995 and finished in 2000 and during construction an incredible 2,500,000 cubic meters of rock were extracted from the tunnel.

It cost a whopping £75million to construct. The tunnel is divided into four sections separated by three large caves.

The tunnel is known as one of the most beautiful in the world due to the way it has been designed to prevent driver fatigue and claustrophobia.

The main section of the tunnel is brightly lit with white lights, but each cave is lit with blue and yellow lighting around the edges to create the illusion of a sunrise.

These caves were lit with the idea of breaking up the monotony of the tunnel and allow drivers a short break.

The caves also work as turnaround points during the 20-minute journey.

There is also a rumble strip in each lane which stops drivers becoming inattentive and drifting.

At every kilometre, a sign lets you know how far you have travelled through the cave and how much further you have to go.

One of the other impressive things about the Lærdal Tunnel is that it is the first in the world to be equipped with an air treatment plant.

This plant can be found in a cavern 100 metres wide and it removes both dust and nitrogen dioxide from the tunnel air.