London Resort: Tiny endangered spider halts plans for Kent’s ‘answer to Disneyland’

A tiny endangered spider the size of a fingernail is one of the reasons funding has been pulled from the theme park dubbed London’s “answer to Disneyland,” after both ITV and the BBC pulled out of plans worth £3.5billion to construct it.

Both broadcasters withdrew following campaigns to raise awareness of the wildlife which would be endangered by the park.

Activists have vehemently opposed the proposed 1,150-acre (465-hectare) London Resort, on the Swanscombe Peninsula along the River Thames in Kent, which was due to be the biggest in the UK, as they said it would damage wildlife habitats in the area – including that of a critically endangered jumping spider only found in one other place in the UK, reports the MailOnline.

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The Distinguished jumping spider is incredibly rare. The species is a conservation priority, and has been placed on the UK list of Biodiversity Action Plan species. In the UK, the spider’s only other habitat is the West Thurrock Marshes in Essex.

The London Resort is proposing to build a theme park on the land

As well as the spider, the Swanscombe Peninsula is home to more than 1,700 invertebrate species, and a quarter of the UK’s water beetles.

The reedbeds and marshland also provides a vital habitat for wading birds and other marine wildlife, which activists say will be destroyed by the theme park.

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Designs for the massive London Resort include rides themed around some of the most popular BBC TV shows, including Doctor Who, Top Gear, and Sherlock.

The theme park, which was projected to make over £50 billion in its first 25 years, was also due to feature rollercoasters and a “prehistoric nature-reserve” with dinosaurs.

Plans also included mitigation for the environment.

But plans for the park have been thrown into disarray following the withdrawal of the BBC and ITV, after nature lovers said it was in “direct conflict” with the environmental credentials of the two broadcasters.

0 A view of the Swanscombe Peninsula

A view of the Swanscombe Peninsula near Dartford

On Friday (February 25), BBC Studios confirmed it was no longer involved with the project.

A spokesman told the MailOnline: “BBC Studios has no commercial agreement in place with London Resort and no current plans to enter into any agreement.

“We would only consider doing so should there be clear and decisive evidence that the project would have a net positive environmental impact.”

An ITV spokesman added: “ITV’s arrangement with the London Resort was that we were a potential licensor of one of our children’s brands, which was Thunderbirds.

“We can confirm that ITV no longer has a commercial arrangement with London Resort as the agreement has now ended. This means that Thunderbirds will not be a part of the park.”

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https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/london-resort-tiny-endangered-spider-6727744

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