Secretary of state Hazel Blears looks set to back a £470m plan to build Europe’s largest indoor ski slope near Ipswich two years after calling in the planning permission granted to developer Onslow Suffolk.
Permission for the 360-acre SnOasis scheme in Great Blakenham was received in April 2006 before being called in by the secretary of state at the Department of Communities and Local Government for a planning inquiry.
The inquiry recommended the scheme be approved with conditions.
Blears today approved the residential elements of the scheme and was said she was “minded” to approve its leisure elements provided certain planning and legal requirements surrounding sustainability and wildlife are complied with.
The developer plans to include a 415 metre-long indoor ski slope, making it Europe’s largest, 350 ski lodges, ice rink with seats for 1,550 spectators, 500 metres of speed skating and bobsleigh track, winter sports academy with 200 bed hostel, and a 350-room four star hotel on the former quarry site.
As part of the sports complex, Onslow Suffolk will plant 130,000 trees and build a 40-acre “ecological mitigation” project.
In addition to the sports complex, there are plans for 400 houses on an adjacent 40-acre site.
Construction is due to begin in the second half of this year and finish before the 2012 London Olympics.
The scheme will include a new railway station, providing a main line rail link to
Onslow Suffolk is 70% owned by Dublin-based private equity group First Equity Group.
