Plans for Britain's largest indoor water park, featuring 25 pools, over 35 slides, and swim-up bars, have been approved. The £250 million Therme spa and wellness resort will be built on a 28-acre site next to the Trafford Centre in Manchester, with an expected opening in 2023.
The facility will dwarf the current largest indoor water park, Blackpool's Sandcastle Waterpark, which has 18 slides. In addition to water attractions, the centre will include 30 saunas and steam rooms, a weekly timetable of exercise classes, and beehives on the rooftop. Local honey will be used in on-site food and spa treatments.
Therme Manchester will combine water-based activities with wellbeing treatments, art, nature, and technology, aiming to create a unique experience and tap into the staycation boom. There will be a dedicated adults' area with warm water lagoons, botanical gardens, swim-up bars, therapeutic mineral pools, and luxurious steam rooms and saunas.
Richard Land, the firm's chief development officer, said: 'Therme Group is based on a belief that wellbeing should be accessible for all. The events of 2020 have shone a light on the necessity of this mission, especially for those in cities. Therme Manchester will redefine city wellbeing, enhancing mental and physical health through an experience based in water and nature.'
The development is still on track for a 2023 opening, though building work remains preliminary. Therme bosses expect to welcome over 1.5 million visitors annually. The group has also confirmed plans for similar resorts in Wales, London, and Scotland, as well as in North America and the Asia-Pacific, which are expected to create around 3,000 jobs in the UK.
