The £75 million Elysium Water Park, planned for Bournemouth, would have been the UK’s largest indoor waterpark. The project, which aimed to put "Dorset on the map", has been scrapped after a number of factors, including delays and funding issues, meant the plans could no longer go ahead.
The waterpark was designed to include swimming pools, waterslides, transparent flumes and rapids. It also included plans for a £35 million lagoon surf park capable of producing over 2,400 ocean-like waves an hour.
Spa, hotel and jobs
For visitors seeking relaxation, the plans included a "top quality wellness and beauty spa", offering "a multitude of facilities including a sauna, hammam spas, massage and beauty treatments, exercise and dance options."
The project claimed: "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."
The destination, set to open in 2023, also had plans for a 145-bedroom hotel and a glamping site, making it "the ultimate destination for weekend breaks too." If it had opened, 500 jobs would have been created.
Timeline and planning issues
Construction work was expected to kick off in 2019. However, delays stemming from COVID-19 and funding issues put the project on hold.
The site was planned for a green belt area, was located near another site of special interest, and lacked planning consent.
The project officially came to a halt when Elysium Water Park UK LTD was dissolved two years ago, according to Companies House.
