A ‘breaking ground’ ceremony described by the Eden Project CEO as “history in the making” will take place today (Wednesday June 24) in Morecambe.
The ceremony will happen on the site earmarked for the Eden Project Morecambe, to herald the impending start of work later this summer.
Around 300 VIPs, funders, partners and members of the public will attend the event, after hearing an update on the project at the Winter Gardens this afternoon.
Exact timescales for the start of work on site are expected to be announced at a free limited ticket ‘Community Conversation’ event at the theatre, starting at 4.30pm. The event is sold out.
Ahead of the ceremony, Dewey Lord, senior project manager for the Eden Project Morecambe, spoke to us at Armed Forces Weekend in the town on Saturday, where the Eden Project had a stall.
LISTEN to Dewey Lord talking to Beyond Radio’s Phil McGrath about the Eden Project Morecambe
Dewey Lord, senior project manager, Eden Project Morecambe. Photo: Morecambe FC Community Foundation
“Work is going to start in two phases,” said Mr Lord.
“Phase 1 is the public realm Bring Me Sunshine Garden that we showed at the Chelsea Flower Show earlier in the year. Works will start on that later this summer.
“The main works, the big build, will start towards the end of this year.
“Hopefully it’s going to have a massive impact on Morecambe, just give Morecambe a bit of a boost.
“I am from Morecambe myself, I was born and raised here, so I’m really excited that we can bring this to Morecambe.”
Earlier this month, Andy Jasper, CEO of the Eden Project, said: “The breaking ground ceremony will bring together dignitaries, funders, core stakeholders and the local community on the site to mark the moment before work officially begins.
“It’s the ‘clay pit moment’ before construction starts that we reflect on a lot in Cornwall.
“Those who stood there on the cusp of transformation were part of something very special and we want to give people in Morecambe that same sense of being part of something important that they can reflect on in years to come.
“History in the making!”
In April, Mr Jasper told BBC Radio 4 that “spades go in the ground on June 24” and it is expected that the ceremony will include the first ‘spade in the ground’ at the site.
These images of Eden Project Morecambe, first published by Beyond Radio in February, show how the attraction might look.
The Eden Project Morecambe is a planned new £100m visitor attraction on the former Dome/Bubbles site on the central Promenade in Morecambe, described as a “once in a generation opportunity” for the town.
A design image of Eden Project Morecambe
As well as exhibitions themed on the natural world and Morecambe Bay, housed inside a ‘Realm of the Sun’ and a ‘Realm of the Moon’, the attraction will include public gardens, a 6000-capacity concert venue, a cafe and a restaurant.
Plans for the attraction – then known as Eden Project North – were first revealed in 2018.
Planning permission was given for the scheme in 2022, then the government pledged £50m towards the project in 2023.
A planning variation was passed earlier this year to reflect changes to the design from an original concept of two larger domes and a smaller one on the site, to one large dome and a flatter mussel-shaped building next to it.
Revised plans said the Eden Project Morecambe will include a Metronome: Main entrance hall and orientation space containing arrival and visitor reception area; Realm of the Moon: Building containing Tidal Theatre, restaurant, retail and staff facilities; Tidal Theatre: Theatrical ‘black box’ experiential zone that brings to life rhythms of Morecambe Bay; Realm of the Sun: Horticultural exhibition space containing an immersive indoor landscape; Elder Tree: Large scale sculptural and experiential element within Realm of the Sun; All Seasons Garden: An outdoor, flexible open, garden space which connects to the Realm of the Sun; Community ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ Garden: Main area of public realm located between the main venue and Marine Road; and Central Rhythm Gardens: An outdoor, flexible open space with a landscaped arena to host concerts and activities.
A CGI image of the Elder Tree inside Eden Project Morecambe
‘The Bring Me Sunshine Garden’ earned national acclaim last month at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show where it won two awards.
Plants have arrived in Morecambe ahead of work starting on the garden, which will stretch from next to the Midland hotel to the popular wishing well on the Prom, which will remain and become part of the garden, as will the Morecambe War Memorial.
Eden Project is an educational charity and social enterprise with a global mission to create and build relationships between people and the natural world to demonstrate the power of working together for the benefit of all living things.
The first Eden Project opened 25 years ago, in a former China clay pit in Cornwall transformed into an immersive experience of plants and people.
Read more: Breaking ground ceremony confirmed as work set to start on Eden Project Morecambe – Beyond Radio
