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Stargazing Pods

AltonBuzz said:
There are plans in place to expand the Enchanted Village between 2019-21, with work starting next year. However, these lodges are based on a similar template to the existing lodges. I think these "barrels" must be something different.

One possible site I've noticed is the north side of the EV car park. The EV car park is due to be re-landscaped and split in two with a grass verge, so I'm wondering if this is a potential site?
Existing car park
Proposed car park
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Where on those images are you referring to? Are you referring to the bit next to Treetop Quest? Because if so, I'm not personally sure if they could fit another accommodation option in that space. I think somewhere that they could fit this is where the 2014 lodges were destined for, if they can get planning permission.
 
Yeah, I was talking about the tarmac car park between Tree Top Quest and EV. It could fit about 20 Barrels with the rest remaining as a car park. It’s just a different accommodation option so there could be tree houses, lodges and barrels. To tie it in with the Enchanted Village there could even be a backstory about the Barrels being made by giants for the visitors to stay in. ;)

Of course, if you wanted to build this on a larger scale this site wouldn’t be suitable but I think building on the grassy fields would be more controversial.
 
AltonBuzz said:
Yeah, I was talking about the tarmac car park between Tree Top Quest and EV. It could fit about 20 Barrels with the rest remaining as a car park. It’s just a different accommodation option so there could be tree houses, lodges and barrels. To tie it in with the Enchanted Village there could even be a backstory about the Barrels being made by giants for the visitors to stay in. ;)

Of course, if you wanted to build this on a larger scale this site wouldn’t be suitable but I think building on the grassy fields would be more controversial.
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Why would the grassy fields be controversial? EV was built on a field, and that got accepted. Is it something to do with the location of that particular field? Because I remember the 2014 lodges were opposed due to JCB.
 
IanSR said:
JCB? Why would they object?
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JCB have a large testing site next door. They're concerned that if they allow hotel/accommodation options too close that at some point in the future it could subject them to noise complaints and subsequent conditions being imposed on there from the noise they generate.
 
Sheer lunacy if they build even more accommodation given they cant even open Splash Landings for a full 12 months due to operating costs and low bed occupancy. Makes me wonder if the accommodation is just a quick way of adding more value to the park (and the land) ready for selling the place on.
 
Accommodation should be the last thing on their minds now. That won't bring the punters back and especially at the prices they cost too.

Only Disney can prosper with little to no new attractions for years and still bring in the guests. They are out on their own in that regard because of their incredibly strong brand.

They need to get replacements in place for NST, Ripsaw and do something with the god awful CCL before they think about expanding the accommodation again.
 
Benjsh said:
They need to get replacements in place for NST, Ripsaw and do something with the god awful CCL before they think about expanding the accommodation again.
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That will barely scratch the surface.

The park needs around £50m of investment in new attractions, refurbishments, and infrastructure to bring it up to any kind of decent standard. That aint ever going to happen under Merlin, so we’ll watch the park sink and decline further.

Crazy to think that just a few years ago both hotels, the conference center and all facilities were open all year round.
 
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PeteB said:
Crazy to think that just a few years ago both hotels, the conference center and all facilities were open all year round.
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I thought they still were, other than SLH and Treetop Quest?
 
AltonBuzz said:
Ok folks, I think this is the official application.

Link
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Great find @AltonBuzz! Now let's hope they paid the right application fee this time! :p

On a serious note, is this a separate planning application/project to the EV expansion? If it is, then I think the three Ws need to come into play:
  • What is the potential theme?
  • Where in the Resort is it located?
  • When is it opening?
 
As we have now seen an actual concrete planning application, could a mod please move this thread to the Planning Portal subforum if they wouldn't mind?

Also, are we likely to see a proper planning application with proper details (e.g. location and what the barrels/tipis will actually look like etc.) soon?
 
As you all know, the Alton Towers hotels are in a desperate need of more rooms, especially with the complete lack any of the resort's hotels closing during the year and particularly for the one that is where the water park for the resort is. That an extreme action that the park would never do - close hotels and then build more of them. :rolleyes:
 
lt does still make financial sense to build more accomodation even if you cannot fill your existing rooms year round if there is still demand during peak times.

Merlin always say on their investor calls that their long term ambition is to have 1000+ rooms at Gardaland and Alton Towers.
 
ATH was in a dire state when I stayed there in December, surely some desperately needed investment in existing properties would be better. The parking for both ATH and splash is also ridiculously poor
 
They're building more rooms because accommodation is so profitable and they told investors they would. Its short term nonsense to keep the stock market wolves at bay, its not actually needed.

Investing the same money into saving a crumbling theme park doesn't get the same response and would be seen (rightly) as an admission of failure.

I'm lost for words. How they repeatedly do the same things year after year and expect a different result astounds me!
 
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