Saturday, 26 March 2022

Nationally Significant Themed Rides?

Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) designations are usually reserved for building major roads, power plants or airports. They are approved or rejected by central goverment, rather than by their local authorities. It consequently seems distinctly odd that the proposed London Resort development on the Thames' Swanscombe peninsula near Gravesend has been designated an NSIP (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/26/plastic-t-rex-vs-rare-beetles-disney-on-thames-plan-london-devastate-wildlife). The London Resort would be a massive development of themed rides, a water park, conference venues, hotels and a shopping centre. Hardly 'nationally significant' nor lacking in the London area. Part of the Swanscombe peninsula is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It has rare plants (including a variety of orchids) and wildlife (including Marsh harriers, Spoonbills, otters and more than 1700 species of invertebrates). Surely, central government couldn't be thinking of forcing through a 'Disney on the Thames' in place of irreplaceable biodiversity?

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