Plans for a dinosaur theme park in Sandown may now be history but ambitions for a Biosphere in the Bay project have been announced by the Isle of Wight Council.
Following the news that plans for a theme park on the seafront were halted concerns had been raised about Culver Parade’s future and the lack of investment in Sandown.
Talks between the Isle of Wight Council and German theme park operators Dinosauria had been underway for a couple of years before it was decided the site would be too small for what was hoped to be built there.
The theme park had been branded a £33 million ‘Disneyland-like’ investment by the previous Conservative administration.
The new Alliance administration, however, ruled out Culver Parade for the theme park but has said other sites, including ones in the Bay area, are being considered to keep the investment on the Island.
That decision, however, was criticised by local councillor Ian Ward who said the significant regeneration needed for Sandown should be a priority for the council.
Cllr Ward also said it would be irresponsible of the council to remove the investment in the area unless they knew what was going to happen to Culver Parade and Dinosaur Isle.
Speaking at the council’s neighbourhoods and regeneration scrutiny committee on Thursday, Cllr Ward said there were a lot of rumours going around the town and asked to know who the authority was talking to about other alternative attractions.
Cllr Jonathan Bacon, cabinet member for the environment and heritage, said they were looking at a project called ‘Biosphere in the Bay’, which had initially been suggested in 2020 but due to Covid had been paused.
With the project now being relaunched, Cllr Bacon said:
“The vision for the Biosphere in the Bay project includes making the Culver Parade area more attractive to visitors interested in the area’s unique landscape, wildlife and history; attracting a greater share of the increasing eco-tourism sector.”
The ‘massive project’ will stretch from Culver Down to Ventnor.
Talking about the Dinosauria investment, Cllr Bacon said the potential scale and importance of the attraction would benefit the whole Island so it was not appropriate to risk losing it by concentrating on a specific area where it would not fit.
So in a nut shell, the council will fool the gulible into trusting them that the culver site is not big enough for the German dinosaur park invetment,
SO instead Culver will be used to build flats and expensive homes by their tickled Pink developer friends who will be extermely grateful.
Then, the German dinosaur investment will ‘surprisingly’ pull out.
But. by then. the building permission for culver parade will be given and underway, thus the council get what they want by promising massive investment for the Island which will NEVER happen as they admire the ‘thank you’ cards from their grateful developers.
Watch, and learn
I don’t suppose any information was forthcoming about exactly what they meant by “making the Culver Parade area more attractive to visitors interested in the area’s unique landscape”?
Hopefully more than just a sign saying “Ducks this way” or, worse, a whole bunch of green housing for use as eco-friendly second homes.
Pet project, no details, made to keep people quiet.
I have heard reports that Covid-19 can have an effect on the mental health. Obviously proven.
Wow a Biosphere that no one wants or will visit what a waste of money if it’s given the go ahead, now the other idea of a Dinosaur theme park which has investors makes more sense, all these Councillors want to do is increase our rates and waste our money
To answer all of the sarcastic comments made so far; do ANY of you think that anything done to this area will have a negative impact on this festering, burnt out building stretch of coast ? Anything will make it more attractive to visitors from the other island. I can’t believe that anyone can walk along this once bustling town cannot hear all of the negative comments from disgusted tourists year after year after year.