Charity gifts Eden Project Morecambe £2.5m

Eden Project Morecambe has received a £2.5m investment from a charitable foundation.

The eco attraction set for the Lancashire seaside resort is expected to open in 2028.

The donation from the Pears Foundation will help to fund the attraction's habitations zone, designed to inspire visitors to explore more sustainable ways of living.

Andy Jasper, chief executive of charity Eden Project, said the "milestone" gift would leave a "lasting, tangible and transformational legacy for Morecambe, for communities across the North West and the UK".

Pears Foundation offers support to organisations that help people and communities flourish.

The habitations zone, described as Eden Project Morecambe's "signature experience" will feature four vibrant, theatrical spaces, named High Street, Market, Farm and Town Square.

Eden Project Morecambe said there would be immersive activities which "reflect people's daily lives, sharing how local place-based adaptation and world-wide innovation can collide to help us adopt approaches that can positively impact our planet".

Jasper said the charity's support "brings us another important step closer to creating the extraordinary destination we are building in Morecambe".

"It will bring people together, connect them with the natural world and create new opportunities for future generations to come," he added.

Philanthropist, Sir Trevor Pears, chairman of the foundation, said: "At Pears Foundation, we have always believed in the importance of places that bring people together and help build stronger communities.

"Eden Project Morecambe is a bold and ambitious investment in Morecambe and its people, creating new opportunities while building on the town's identity and strengths."

Eden Project Morecambe is set to transform the central promenade into a vibrant, year-round destination, featuring striking shell-inspired structures housing immersive environments exploring humanity's relationship with the natural world.

Eden Project Morecambe said the build phase has now been funded, thanks to investment from the government, charitable donations and loan funding, but fundraising would now refocus on the horticultural landscapes, exhibitions, learning spaces, and visitor experiences.

The attraction is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year and support more than 1,000 jobs.

The project is being delivered in partnership with Lancaster City Council, Lancashire County Council and Lancaster University.

Groundworks to landscape the new community garden will begin soon marking phase one of the development.

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