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NEWS
£200m leisure resort planned for Northumberland
POSTED 20 Feb 2009 . BY Tom Walker
New revised plans have been announced to build a £200m tourism and leisure attraction on the site of three former mines in Northumberland.

According to Widdrington Regeneration Partnership (WRP), the joint venture behind the scheme, the development will now include a holiday village with chalet accommodation, an indoor leisure complex with a 50m swimming pool, a man-made sailing lake, a 150-room luxury hotel, a health spa and a championship golf course.

Other facilities planned include an indoor and outdoor adventure centre and a heritage visitor centre.

Plans for the attraction were first unveiled in 2003, as part of a larger regeneration scheme for the opencast mine sites of Stobswood, Maidens Hall and Steadsburn.

WRP secured £80,000 in funding from a number of partners – including the European Regional Development Fund and the Northumberland Strategic Partnership – towards a feasibility study to be undertaken in 2005. The study, completed by KPMG, suggested that initial plans to include a 500m indoor skiing venue would be unsustainable. The new plans, unveiled this month, are based on the KPMG recommendations.

The project has been given the working name of Blue Sky Forest, and WRP hopes to start construction on the site within the next two years.

The sites are currently owned by UK Coal, which contributed to the funding of the feasibility study.

MORE NEWS
David Rockwell creates immersive magic destination, The Hand and The Eye
A US$50 million (£44.2 million, €51.2 million) transformation of Chicago's historic McCormick Mansion has created a new destination that combines live magic, immersive theatre, dining and private membership under one roof.
Montana Heritage Center opens with immersive exhibits and US$107 million investment
The Montana Historical Society has officially celebrated the opening of its new Montana Heritage Center, a US$107 million (£79 million, €92 million) destination that combines immersive storytelling with cutting-edge audiovisual technology to bring the sta
Universal launches new theme park model with Kids Resort
Universal Destinations and Experiences has launched a new regional theme park model with the opening of Universal Kids Resort in Frisco, Texas.
San Antonio Zoo reports $283 million economic impact as expansion plans progress
San Antonio Zoo has reported a US$283 million economic impact for 2025, following a decade- long transformation programme that has seen almost US$200 million invested into the Texas attraction.
+ More news   
LATEST JOBS
General Manager, The Needles
Heritage Great Britain
Salary: c£70,000pa + benefits + relocation support
Job location: Isle of Wight , United Kingdom
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COMPANY PROFILES
Vekoma Rides Manufacturing B.V.

Vekoma Rides has a large variety of coasters and attractions. [more...]
QubicaAMF UK

QubicaAMF is the largest and most innovative bowling equipment provider with 600 employees worldwi [more...]
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A former national ski team racer, ProSlide® CEO Rick Hunter’s goal has been to integrate the smoot [more...]
Simworx Ltd

The company was initially established in 1997. Terry Monkton and Andrew Roberts are the key stakeh [more...]
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23-26 Aug 2026

Elevate Spa Riviera Maya Edition

The Riviera Maya Edition Kanai, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
29 Sep - 02 Oct 2026

Synergy - The Retreat Show

Pical Resort, Valamar Collection, Porec, Croatia
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Get Attractions Management digital magazine FREE
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Jobs    News   Products   Magazine   Subscribe
NEWS
£200m leisure resort planned for Northumberland
POSTED 20 Feb 2009 . BY Tom Walker
New revised plans have been announced to build a £200m tourism and leisure attraction on the site of three former mines in Northumberland.

According to Widdrington Regeneration Partnership (WRP), the joint venture behind the scheme, the development will now include a holiday village with chalet accommodation, an indoor leisure complex with a 50m swimming pool, a man-made sailing lake, a 150-room luxury hotel, a health spa and a championship golf course.

Other facilities planned include an indoor and outdoor adventure centre and a heritage visitor centre.

Plans for the attraction were first unveiled in 2003, as part of a larger regeneration scheme for the opencast mine sites of Stobswood, Maidens Hall and Steadsburn.

WRP secured £80,000 in funding from a number of partners – including the European Regional Development Fund and the Northumberland Strategic Partnership – towards a feasibility study to be undertaken in 2005. The study, completed by KPMG, suggested that initial plans to include a 500m indoor skiing venue would be unsustainable. The new plans, unveiled this month, are based on the KPMG recommendations.

The project has been given the working name of Blue Sky Forest, and WRP hopes to start construction on the site within the next two years.

The sites are currently owned by UK Coal, which contributed to the funding of the feasibility study.

MORE NEWS
David Rockwell creates immersive magic destination, The Hand and The Eye
A US$50 million (£44.2 million, €51.2 million) transformation of Chicago's historic McCormick Mansion has created a new destination that combines live magic, immersive theatre, dining and private membership under one roof.
Montana Heritage Center opens with immersive exhibits and US$107 million investment
The Montana Historical Society has officially celebrated the opening of its new Montana Heritage Center, a US$107 million (£79 million, €92 million) destination that combines immersive storytelling with cutting-edge audiovisual technology to bring the sta
Universal launches new theme park model with Kids Resort
Universal Destinations and Experiences has launched a new regional theme park model with the opening of Universal Kids Resort in Frisco, Texas.
San Antonio Zoo reports $283 million economic impact as expansion plans progress
San Antonio Zoo has reported a US$283 million economic impact for 2025, following a decade- long transformation programme that has seen almost US$200 million invested into the Texas attraction.
Great Barrier Reef attraction set for AU$180 million reinvention
Plans for the AU$180 million redevelopment of Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville, Australia, are progressing, with the project set to transform the attraction into a global centre for reef education and conservation.
Mubadala makes €1 billion bid for Pierre and Vacances
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed €1 billion offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the continental European Center Parcs business.
+ More news   
 
COMPANY PROFILES
Vekoma Rides Manufacturing B.V.

Vekoma Rides has a large variety of coasters and attractions. [more...]
QubicaAMF UK

QubicaAMF is the largest and most innovative bowling equipment provider with 600 employees worldwi [more...]
ProSlide Technology, Inc.

A former national ski team racer, ProSlide® CEO Rick Hunter’s goal has been to integrate the smoot [more...]
Simworx Ltd

The company was initially established in 1997. Terry Monkton and Andrew Roberts are the key stakeh [more...]
+ More profiles  
CATALOGUE GALLERY
+ More catalogues  
DIRECTORY
+ More directory  
DIARY

 

23-26 Aug 2026

Elevate Spa Riviera Maya Edition

The Riviera Maya Edition Kanai, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
29 Sep - 02 Oct 2026

Synergy - The Retreat Show

Pical Resort, Valamar Collection, Porec, Croatia
+ More diary  
 


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