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2017/18: SW8 Speculation

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I believe the original application only had the felling of 146 trees, almost all of which were immature, rotting or diseased. In the end it was about 10 trees that were in contention - and it was enough to stir up anger in the local area.

As much as I'd love to see a cross valley wooden coaster they would seriously need to do something special to get past planning. I think they'd need to play several things off against the application i.e. major renovation works in the ruins / gardens to even stand a chance. That, I imagine, all goes into the budget and effects the outcome of the ride.

Being realistic - if we want a wooden rollercoaster we're going to have to explore other areas of the park. I still feel a large scale indoor attraction is needed most in the park at this moment.
 
The cross valley never got rejected by the planners, Tussauds pulled the project. So we have no real idea what chance it has of passing.
 
They must have thought they had a chance of approval when they submitted in back in the day. It's no doubt a very tricky area to plan any new coaster or attraction, but not impossible. Who knows though, I doubt we'll see a coaster in the valley but I wouldn't completely rule it off the table.
 
Dave said:
The cross valley never got rejected by the planners, Tussauds pulled the project. So we have no real idea what chance it has of passing.
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But wasn't it pulled due to strong opposition and indications that the complaints would be upheld. Memory is hazy in all honesty but I seem to recall they were told the plans would need to be revised prior to submission.

I'd imagine the same complaints if they tried to submit the original plans.
 
While their had been some complaints about the plans it was pulled over funding and the cost of the ride and it was decided it wasn't the right time to make such a big investment- it was at the time when Tussuad's investments went down hill.

It Would be tricky to get through planning and I doubt we will see a cross valley coaster in 2017 the park do work with the planning office before they submit plans to ensure what they submit is likely to get permission.
 
Thanks for clarifying that. Always thought it was more related to complaints than funding but it would make sense regarding the air overspend and the management at the time.
 
It doesn't make sense that the plans were pulled for financial reasons, even if you get permission you are not obliged to build the thing and you could argue that if they were passed and then elapsed it would be easier to re apply or extend.

Much more likely they were pulled as they knew they were to be rejected, this would then make it almost impossible to reapply at a future date.

Things have moved on since then and Staffordshire councils are even more tree hugging than 10 years ago, they would now not even allow a savage attack on a mature healthy branch let alone 100 odd trees.
 
BigT said:
It doesn't make sense that the plans were pulled for financial reasons, even if you get permission you are not obliged to build the thing and you could argue that if they were passed and then elapsed it would be easier to re apply or extend.

Much more likely they were pulled as they knew they were to be rejected, this would then make it almost impossible to reapply at a future date.

Things have moved on since then and Staffordshire councils are even more tree hugging than 10 years ago, they would now not even allow a savage attack on a mature healthy branch let alone 100 odd trees.
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It was submitted twice, the first time they took it down due to complaints, it was re-designed then they pulled it for other reasons. John Wardley has always said he thought the cross valley woodie was doable.
 
I am sure if they do plan on going for a Cross Valley Coaster in 2017 we would see planning go in late Summer/early autumn so have more time if need to make changes/gets denied.

While i am not convinced this will happen in 2017, i dont see why it would automatically get declined, the park work closley with the planning office and wont submit anything thats got no hope of passing. Although the park have lots of planning restraints its not very often plans get refused. As long as its not built in the gardens, they avoid removing as many healthy trees as possible, they can show the noise would be within limits and the coaster is kept below tree height and cant be seen it would have a very good chance of getting passed.
 
Why not have a terrain hugging wooden coaster dips turns helix's and maybe a few tunnels all in the area of the log flume
 
Because the valley offers a vastly superior landscape for a wider range of elements than The Flume site.
 
It may well be doable but it's extremely unlikely.
It's not just the trees that would need to be felled for the coaster there would have to be access roads, paths etc in a completely undeveloped natural area.
It would take years of negotiations with the council and local residents, I would say the only tiniest chance of this getting Planning is if Alton build the much promised bypass as a sweetener.
 
that would be superior but the planning/council will definitely oppose any construction
 
Yea i suppose building the bypass could give more of chance but wouldn't that be insanely expensive for Merlin to fund
 
A bypass would cost millions and forgetting about the moral implications of the parking charges, Merlin would never pay for it. The did say that at the TT@10 event too. :(
 
They could always route the bypass through the valley! Concrete it all over and put a couple of multi story's down there as well.(but not over tree height of course)
 
Unfortunately the cross-valley is fighting two battles, planning and perception. To convince the public a wooden coaster would be an amazing investment they have to create something stunning. For this they'd need the valley, but then you have the planning nightmare the valley presents.

I believe that it would be possible to get planning but it'd need to be so terrain hugging it stays invisible (while still looking impressive from inside the park), remove almost no trees and come with enough good faith that the locals want it to exist.

Then there's the third problem and that's Merlin. With every year that passes I have less faith they'd actually be able to create it. They only have one shot to build this coaster, can you imagine if they did another Smiler, cock up the land survey and end up having to concrete over the valley! For that reason I'm not even sure if I want them to try, and if they do it better have the development time it deserves.
 
Towers will/have consider(ed) a cross valley woodie. That will involve contacting planning officers at the council and working with them in regards to the next addition. I'm fairly confident that the council will have advised them that they are very unlikely to get planning permission for a cross valley woodie. It would have too bigger impact and it has not been identified by the council as a development opportunity site. Of course it is not impossible but I think it is a dream that will never happen.

:)
 
I think Tim and Rob àre bang on with their comments above.
There are other areas requiring development first like coaster corner and TBH the whole of Cloud Cuckoo Land.
A huge new dark ride up there for SW8 and a complete re theme of that area would make more sense.
Then open discussion with the council and local residents about the cross valley for SW9 now and do the project properly for once.
 
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