Local authorities in Berlin, Germany, have given the green light for a British-Malaysian business consortium to create a rain forest inside a giant zeppelin hangar.

Tropical Island, costing around £50m, will be housed in the largest freestanding arched hall in the world.

The scheme will include rainforest flora and fauna and six villages representing indigenous cultures from Malaysia, Thailand and the Amazon.

Each village will offer a restaurant serving food and drink typical to its designated region.

Visitors will be able to wander around in 1.2km of jungle pathways alongside giant lagoons.

The 350ft-high glass and steel structure will also include a 42ft mountain and a sand beach, complete with around 1,000 sun beds.

Kuala Lumpur-based energy company, Tanjong and Au Investment Company – headed by Brit, Colin Au, have joined forces to form the Tropical Island Investment consortium.

The consortium bought the hangar from CargoLifter, a German company which planned to build a dirigible fleet of giant air ships, for around £20m – a quarter of the hangar’s original building costs.

The Zeppelins were intended to be capable of carrying 160-ton loads across the globe. However, the company’s plans were foiled, when it become insolvent in 2002 and was forced to axe most of its staff.

Datuk Khoo, chair of Tanjong, said: “This project is very much an extension of our existing involvement in the leisure and entertainment business.

“The Tropical Island presents an excellent opportunity for us to create a new property in the area of leisure-based holiday destinations with tropical island settings,” he said.

Colin Au, project chief executive, said: “We plan to feature monthly exhibits of a tropical country or religion. We are confident that when completed, this project will draw in visitors from all around Europe.”

Tropical Island could employ around 1,500 staff, and expects to attract around three million visitors a year. Details: www.tanjongplc.com