Work on the £100 million Eden Project Morecambe will begin in August, with the first element of the attraction, the Bring Me Sunshine Garden, set to open next spring. The project aims to transform Morecambe's seafront into a "world-class destination" and revive a town that has faced significant social and economic challenges.
Morecambe, in Lancashire, has struggled with high levels of deprivation, with many young residents forced to move away because of a shortage of local jobs. The new Eden Project is intended to boost the local economy and help turn the town's fortunes around.
Timeline and partners
It has been confirmed that work will start this month. The Bring Me Sunshine Garden will open to the public next spring, followed by work on interiors and experience design in spring 2028, before the full attraction opens in winter 2028.
Eden Project Morecambe is being delivered alongside Lancaster City Council, Lancaster University and Lancashire County Council. It was awarded £50 million from the government, which allowed the project to move into its next phase.
Two shell-shaped domes
Similar to the Eden Project in Cornwall, the Morecambe attraction will feature two shell-shaped domes named the Realm of the Sun and the Realm of the Moon.
The Eden Project website states: "The Realm of the Sun is a bright, lush landscape of the near future — a place where humanity has rediscovered how to repair and re-engage with the broken rhythms of the natural world."
It adds: "The Realm of the Moon is an immersive, dynamic space — a darker, more dramatic environment featuring a hyper-real rockpool, where accelerated cycles of tides, days, and seasons create a constantly shifting world of storytelling, spectacle, and discovery."
Bring Me Sunshine Garden and community space
The Bring Me Sunshine Garden appeared at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show before being relocated to Morecambe. It will open next spring and form part of a 1.6-acre community garden and living classroom.
The Eden Project website also says: "Eden Project Morecambe will house extraordinary living landscapes and immersive worlds inhabited by world-class art, performance, storytelling, interactive installations and play. With Morecambe Bay's tidal range being one of the largest in the world, the natural rhythms of nature underpin all aspects of our exciting new adventure."
Deprivation in Morecambe
Parts of the town continue to struggle, including Morecambe Town, West End, and Westgate, where over 63% of households face deprivation. Child poverty rates in these areas reach up to 61% to 70%.
Data shows that a number of neighbourhoods in Morecambe sit within the top 10% most deprived areas in the UK. Men in the town centre have a healthy life expectancy of 56, four years below the national average. Many residents are impacted by poor employment opportunities, low wages, long-term illnesses, poor housing conditions and high rates of mental health struggles.
Economic impact
Eden Project Morecambe is expected to give 274 jobs to the local economy, as well as 1,083 additional roles to the wider region. It is hoped the attraction will draw hundreds of thousands of annual visitors, providing a major boost to the local economy.
