Project LC Posted February 17, 2016 Report Share Posted February 17, 2016 Merlin need to stress the economic benefits to the local council better and in exchange they will get planning permission. It is pretty much the same process for any large project. If you are able to make it appealing to the locals then it is fine. That could consist of bringing in more tourists for local B&B's/Hotels or resurfacing a road for them. For merlin the park to invest in is obviously Thorpe. Its the park they can do the most with. Close to 2 motorway junctions, relaxed planning permission, close proximity to London and Heathrow. If they can solve the space issue then it would be a no brainer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted February 17, 2016 Report Share Posted February 17, 2016 Even with non park projects, the councils/locals can be just as awful... CPFC proposing a move back to Crystal Palace park, including redevelopment of the athletics track/area, was pretty much thrown out due to NIMBYs... Some people just wouldn't take any benefits to the local area on board because of... Reasons... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmonkey Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 So... and sorry If I've missed something, not been on a while will this Pandamonion... is it actually going be a real panda enclosure? As that would be a real coo for the Park! making it one of the best zoo's in the UK... that would really boost gate sales! I know China are quite strict with what zoos can have Pandas... but there are only a couple in the UK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 Pandamonium is a stage show http://www.chessington.com/2016/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmonkey Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 Pandamonium is a stage show http://www.chessington.com/2016/ But do you think it could be a pre-cursor to actually getting Pandas?........ because the marketing kind of gives that impression Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-S Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 Nope, it's to cash in on the third Kung Fu Panda film, which goes on general release here today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMSWG Posted March 16, 2016 Report Share Posted March 16, 2016 Something that I feel would work well for the park could be a one of those zamperla or vekoma booster bike coaters if it was themed and had a nice custom layout. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyLovesVortex Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Paultons (though I haven't visited yet (MC16)) looks it's already a better park than Chessie. They have great rides, great theming, decent upkeep making an overall well loved park that is slowly turning from a regional park to leasing one in the uk. Despite its falling quality, operations, theming, upkeep etc, it seems Merlin have a strategy to keep it higher than the likes of Paultons. Unfortunately it's the wrong one as its only aimed at getting more guests. Rather than do rightful things like ripping out Toadies for a thrilling major family coaster, replacing Tombs with a better 21st century dark ride amongst other things all the park seem to be doing as adding more non-themepark stuff like more accommodation rather then invest and improve the park it'self which is getting closer and closer to breaking point, the day when vampire fails forever, Tomb shortcircuits and something happens in rattlesnake and falls leaving just scorpion, fury, bubbles & Zufari. Rumour has it yet another hotel could be coming to Chessington in the possible future, or lodges like EV or both. rattle snake is currently closed. so maybe something's going on with that all ready?. (in a bad way) vampire's not got long left, it was refurbished in 2001, but still that was over 10 years ago and next time it might be due for removal. if what I've heard about toomb is correct, the reason it closed in 2015 was actually because it did break and they couldn't get it going. yep.. due to go leaving just scorpion, fury, bubbles & Zufari. Zufari, rushed fury is so reliable you could set your clock to it (not) bubbles has been about so long, and like vampire, is probably due for either a refurbish or removal. which leaves scorpion.. the only reliable park ride. even draggon falls (which I once thought of as the most reliable ride at chessington) seems to be failing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 April Fools? Matt 236 and Kerfuffle 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeah Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 April Fools?Yes. And the worst attempt at one that I've ever done xD why did I try that?Sent from my SM-G361F using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeah Posted April 9, 2016 Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 To all those negative about Chessie's investments remember that planning permission at Chessie is worse then at Towers. Sent from my SM-G361F using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted April 9, 2016 Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 A good park finds ways to battle planning restrictions though... Like, Phantasialand is literally next door to houses, yet able to build some fantastic and interesting rides... pognoi 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted April 9, 2016 Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 Me, when Chessington builds anything exciting and worthwhile Planning isn't the main issue though. There may be something higher up refusing greatness. David B and Nosferatu 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeah Posted April 9, 2016 Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 A good park finds ways to battle planning restrictions though... Like, Phantasialand is literally next door to houses, yet able to build some fantastic and interesting rides... Its got nothing to do with houses. It's the green belt land. Some of the green belt land can't be built on at all whereas some can't be modified terrain-wise.Sent from my SM-G361F using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted April 9, 2016 Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 Yet there is still a fair amount of land available for the park to play with, especially as they're more than likely having to start removing things before they fall down... Zufari is built on green belt land anyway, so it's doable, just unlikely for an actual ride... Besides, as the point of my post which you seemingly ignored was, a good park works within the limitations set in by local restrictions... Chessie could easily add things worthwhile if they thought things through (instead of half arsing everything)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt 236 Posted April 9, 2016 Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 For example, they could always move the zoo enclosures on to greenbelt surely and then use where the old enclosures were for theme park extension possibly. I don't know I'm not a planning expert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-S Posted April 9, 2016 Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 I was going to say planning isn't the issue if they were allowed to build two hotels and zufari, management is, but I think I was beaten somewhat to the punch. Let's not forget Chessington is the only park Merlin actually own (in the UK), rather than just lease and operate like the others, my point being when you lease/rent something, it usually comes with terms relating to upkeep and maintenance, when you own it, you can do what you want, even if that means strippng away core products in favour of money making hotels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomglazed Posted April 10, 2016 Report Share Posted April 10, 2016 Reading through the posts about the struggles Chessington has with the local council, which I do get. But considering we have seen no plans for anything major to be installed to THEN be heavily altered or refused, sounds like source of the problem is much closer to home than the council. I get that planning already costs money and only for it to be rejected must be disheartening but if management could at least act like they cared that would be a step. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeah Posted April 10, 2016 Report Share Posted April 10, 2016 Yet there is still a fair amount of land available for the park to play with, especially as they're more than likely having to start removing things before they fall down... Zufari is built on green belt land anyway, so it's doable, just unlikely for an actual ride... Besides, as the point of my post which you seemingly ignored was, a good park works within the limitations set in by local restrictions... Chessie could easily add things worthwhile if they thought things through (instead of half arsing everything)... And you ignored the part of my post where I said some bits of land can't be built on at all and some can be built on but the terrain cant be modified, see Rattlesnake.Sent from my SM-G361F using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-S Posted April 10, 2016 Report Share Posted April 10, 2016 It's only the south facing areas that can't be built on or the terrain modified correct? Mainly because if you know where to look you can see them from miles away. As others have said you work within what you have, admittedly they don't have a lot of space to work with, but then neither does Thorpe Park which is arguably even more restricted, being surrounded by water etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeah Posted April 10, 2016 Report Share Posted April 10, 2016 It's only the south facing areas that can't be built on or the terrain modified correct? Mainly because if you know where to look you can see them from miles away. As others have said you work within what you have, admittedly they don't have a lot of space to work with, but then neither does Thorpe Park which is arguably even more restricted, being surrounded by water etc. Thorpe is the least affected by planning permission of all the Merlin parks.Sent from my SM-G361F using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benin Posted April 10, 2016 Report Share Posted April 10, 2016 Wait, did you just say the land Rattlesnake is built on can't be modified? You mean the ride they dug a pit for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeah Posted April 10, 2016 Report Share Posted April 10, 2016 Wait, did you just say the land Rattlesnake is built on can't be modified? You mean the ride they dug a pit for? The green belt land is the REASON it's built in a pit. Quote from Wikipedia (Wikipedia isn't the sole source I gathered this into for, have heard this from various places): "Due to local planning restrictions (a result of the park being on green belt land) the land designated for the ride area was excavated" Sent from my SM-G361F using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-S Posted April 10, 2016 Report Share Posted April 10, 2016 Wasn't the the same reason Nemesis is built in a pit too? Edit: you're right, the entire site is green belt, which kind of makes the devolpments allowed down the road in mordern rushett a good case of double standards, since that's green belt too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchada04 Posted April 10, 2016 Report Share Posted April 10, 2016 Nemesis was built in a pit due to height. The problem is, they're not trying to get planning permission. They can build new rides in areas, but they're not even fighting this by putting in planning applications. If they were and they were all getting rejected I'd understand, but they're not! tomglazed 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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