Plans for £15.5m Alnwick Garden play village move a step closer

Construction of a multi-million pound new visitor attraction at The Alnwick Garden is scheduled to start next spring.
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Changes to plans for the £15.5 million play village have recently been approved by Northumberland County Council.

The Alnwick Garden Trust wanted to alter the design of the much-anticipated Lilidorei development and move it to higher ground for better drainage.

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A spokesperson said: “The need for a change to the Lilidorei layout came about from the positioning of a historic culvert that runs at great depth below the ground and takes water from Alnwick.

An impression of how Lilidorei will look.An impression of how Lilidorei will look.
An impression of how Lilidorei will look.

"Site surveys suggested that its condition and exact position was such that the original play structure could potentially impact on the culvert.

"A decision was taken to move the play structure, requiring the new application.

Concerns about the visual impact were raised by Historic England, The Gardens Trust, Northumbria Gardens Trust, Alnwick Town Council and Alnwick Civic Society but planners said the landscape impact of the proposal is considered acceptable while management of the woodland would be beneficial.

There are also changes to the car parking arrangements.

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Planning permission for the play village was originally granted in July 2018.

Billed as the largest play structure of its type in the world, the ‘magical place of goblins, fairies and elves’ will feature low rise buildings and taller conical towers with slides.

It is one of the trail-blazing early projects for the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, with a £5 million grant already signed off.

Lilidorei means ‘the children’s adventure with play at its heart’.