SnOasis
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SnOasis is a planned development that will become the worlds largest indoor ski centre. Construction has not yet begun, but planning permission has been granted and funding secured.
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[edit] Planned Development
SnOasis is a planned development in Great Blakenham, near Ipswich and 80 miles from London. The site is a former Blue Circle cement works and quarry, now restored farmland and chalk grassland. A proportion of the site that is set to form part of a golf course is in a Special Landscape Area[1]. When completed it will be the largest indoor ski slope (with real snow) in the world - 100 metres high, and half a kilometre long and scope for some 2,000 skiers an hour.
Local Planning permission for the project was granted on 21 April 2006. It was announced on 26 July 2006 that a Public Inquiry will be held[2] which may overturn that decision. The target date for completion is 2009, although a public inquiry could delay that to 2011, but it is already running into problems.[citation needed] The developers are a company called Onslow Suffolk Ltd linked to previously bankrupted companies.[citation needed] A budget of £350 million has been set.
The project may possibly generate up to 1,400 equivalent full time jobs in the local area, mostly low-skilled, low paid, and likely to go to migrant workers[citation needed], as unemployment is very low in the area. A separate proposal is looking at 537 new homes, though this figure varies depending on the quote.
Considerable concern has been expressed by most members of the public in the local area over traffic congestion, crime, and damage to the environment and local surroundings. Some minor adjustments have been made to help ease congestion, such as a station, but this is inadequate. No changes are to be made to local roads already at full capacity.[citation needed]
There is also protected wildlife on the site that will suffer. The proposal would endanger bats, badgers and newts (all protected) as well as other wildlife.[citation needed]
[edit] Features
The centre will boast indoor and outdoor activities to suit a range of age groups. These include a 9-hole golf course, 350 bed 4 star hotel, four screen cinema and lakes for fishing & watersports.
The concept illustrations are credited to Steve Dimes & Gareth Hughes.
[edit] Winter Sports
- World's largest indoor ski slope: 500m long with 100m vertical drop - International competition standard.
- Nursery Slope 100m long with a 9m vertical drop
- External Ice Rink
- Full length 100m drop dry run bobsleigh track
- Cross coutry ski run
- Speed Skating / ice track
- 16m Ice Climbing Wall
[edit] General Sports
- Nine-hole golf course
- Multi purpose sports hall
- Health and Fitness Centre
- Outdoor sports pitches
- Roller blade track
- Rock Climbing Wall
[edit] External links
- Map sources for SnOasis
- Official SnOasis Site
- Smith Dimes website - provided the architectural illustrations on this page
- Press Releases & Publications
- Mid Suffolk District Council Planning site
- SnOasis investigation by East Anglia Social Forum, an online activist network
- Snoasis Concern - pressure group consisting of Suffolk residents and business people concerned about the impact of the proposed SnOasis developments
