[202X] Project Horizon (SW9?): Planning Approved

[s_g_k]

Have there been any signs of initial clearing work being carried out yet? With the area in question being pretty much sealed off from public view I guess it’s hard to gauge what, if any work, has been done yet.

I admittedly didn’t venture into the area around the dungeons on my visit last week.

 

[benpicko]

I think I recall someone 70 odd pages ago on this thread working out it is a bit but not substantially bigger than the X building at Thorpe?

The area it is would basically fit something the size of Arthur at Europa Park in it. Very rough comparison though, I've not measured the actual buildings or worked out the volume or anything, I just did a rough Google Maps comparison in the early days of the application.

Ah interesting -- thanks both!

 

[Steve74]

Based on the dimensions in the plans (71m x 46m), the building could pretty much cover The Smiler's pit:

 

[rob666]

Good dimension comparison there mate.
How many London buses does that make?

 

[Connor98]

Good dimension comparison there mate.
How many London buses does that make?

Its 11m short of the worlds longest hot dog in length. I’m no expert on buses unfortunately

 

[Steve74]

Its 11m short of the worlds longest hot dog in length. I’m no expert on buses unfortunately

Or to put it another way, it'll cover an area the same as 666,540 WD40 cans, stood up side by side.

 

[jon81uk]

Its 11m short of the worlds longest hot dog in length. I’m no expert on buses unfortunately

 

[Archie]

hate to be that guy but... 125.5 Enviro 400 buses (10.2m x 2.55m)

 

[QTXAdsy]

Like buses, you wait for something to happen in this thread then suddenly about ten comments show up.

 

[DistortAMG]

hate to be that guy but... 125.5 Enviro 400 buses (10.2m x 2.55m)

Is that squared or cubed?

 

[rob666]

Exactly, I want the volume of the building in London Buses, not ground area.
Steve did an excellent job of ground area approximation with the smiler site...now I want volume comparison.
And buses is the usual correct volume monitor...wd40 cans, that's just daft.

 

[Archie]

Is that squared or cubed?

squared

 

[DistortAMG]

Exactly, I want the volume of the building in London Buses, not ground area.
Steve did an excellent job of ground area approximation with the smiler site...now I want volume comparison.
And buses is the usual correct volume monitor...wd40 cans, that's just daft.

I asked our good old friend Bing GPT4 how many cans of WD40 we could fit inside the new Project Horizon building, just too good of an opportunity to pass on. It said the following.

The volume of the area is 71m * 46m * 19.4m = 63,308.4 m³. The volume of a can of WD-40 is 0.65cm * 0.65cm * 2.9cm = 1.22425 cm³, which is equivalent to 1.22425 * 10⁻⁶ m³.

So, you could fit approximately 63,308.4 m³ / (1.22425 * 10⁻⁶ m³) = 51,710,400,000 cans of WD-40 in that area.

It also said it would be 668 cans of WD40 high too. I am genuinely happy I know that now. For anyone struggling, the number is fifty-one billion seven hundred ten million four hundred thousand.

Also, based on the 600ml can size. I've finished my night shift, I'm off to go sleep easy now I know that. I tried the busses but it said the Enviro bus comes in two sizes and I didn't have it in me to complete. Need my sleep.

WD40 comes in an aerosol. Aerosols used to damage the ozone. The ozone is far above, or technically on the HORIZON too, as the earth is curved. So looking at the horizon is also looking into the ozone. You've heard it here first. This is going to the be the world's first WD40 themed dark ride / coaster. Launched out of a WD40 can anyone?

 

[rob666]

Still not convinced I'm afraid...
wd40 cans are cylinders, you can squeeze more cans in than cuboids, as calculated.
But good effort all the same.
...and what is the "standard" size of can...we need to know.

 

[Burbs]

I don’t think there’s much more that can be said about the ride building now, so if we could halt these inane comparisons that would be much appreciated.

 

[mdsk]

Knowing the parents groups lack of imagination. Has any other parks built anything similar indoor recently? We know they love a bulk deal!

 

[Dobba]

After months of nothing happening with this application, as of Thursday the council have finally uploaded the Decision document and it has been listed as approved on the planning website.

The document doesn't really add anything that hasn't already been covered, but it looks as if the Orangery will be the heritage project linked to this attraction after all. Point six of the planning approval conditions covers this project:

Prior to first use of the attraction hereby permitted, a Management Plan for the Orangery (Quarry Greenhouse), located within the Alton Towers house garden, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The Management Plan shall include a description of plans for continued management, schedule of urgent works and initial phase of repair to the orangery (known as the First Phase works), proposals for the management of vegetation close to the structure, and a timetable for the implementation of the First Phase works. The First Phase works shall also include interpretation techniques to better reveal the significance of heritage assets including the conservation area, in line with paragraph 206 of the NPPF. The First Phase works and on-going management shall thereafter be implemented in accordance with the agreed Management Plan, details and timetable.

 

[Mhoowee]

After months of nothing happening with this application, as of Thursday the council have finally uploaded the Decision document and it has been listed as approved on the planning website.

The document doesn't really add anything that hasn't already been covered, but it looks as if the Orangery will be the heritage project linked to this attraction after all. Point six of the planning approval conditions covers this project:

I hope they get the fountain flowing again

 

[Dobba]

I hope they get the fountain flowing again

I hope so too, though I wouldn't be surprised if the no longer functioning fountains in the gardens were grouped together and became an accompanying heritage project for another installation the park has in mind.

In terms of showpiece elements that warrant the work, the gardens would still have a few - even if the larger budget ones are running out. I'm curious as to how the conservation aspect of the council views them in regards to priority and if/when they start pushing for more work to the Towers themselves and opening up currently blocked off areas.

 

[BarryZola]

This is just totally theoretical from me, so take it with a pinch of salt. I think they (AT) generally have a sympathetic ear at the council as far as can reasonably expected (apart from things like seeing track above the treeline etc which is a line that should not be crossed). Not sure if you noticed but the guy leading the meetings for the planning decision which was passed on Project Horizon was an ex-Towers employee (and it was passed very easily by the council overall) so I believe that they have some idea of the absolutely real budget constraints put upon Towers by Merlin. Maybe this is why when they know that Merlin are finally opening their wallets for a capex project every several years they know that it's their very occasional chance to get them to do some heritage work as it's VERY unlikely to come out of normal operating budget. I think what I'm trying to say is that the council sort of cut them slack on normal every day stuff like keeping the Towers ruins open etc and every day maintenance in the gardens because they are aware of their meagre available budget for such things, but when they get the chance to have a little bit of power to make Merlin act (to get permission for a new ride for example) then they make sure they get some money from that budget. Seems like an arrangement that both sides have come to live with.

That's just my theory anyway.