Merlin lodges plans for £20m NEC attraction

The owner of Staffordshire theme park Alton Towers has lodged plans to transform a site at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) into a new adventure attraction, which could include a sky diving experience and high ropes course.Documents submitted to Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council on behalf of Merlin Attractions Operations Ltd revealed details of the scheme, known as Project Thor.The company has applied to change the use of the NEC’s Pavilion building to create the adventure-themed attraction.Located part indoor and part outdoor, Project Thor will provide almost 145,000 sq ft of space for leisure use.The scheme will target individuals in their late teens, as well as young adults. Activities will comprise four half-hour long slots, each with the capacity for 200 visitors. There will also be a café and shop on the site.A planning statement submitted on behalf of Merlin by Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners said Project Thor could attract up to 2,000 customers per day at peak times.If approved, Project Thor will employ 25 full-time staff and a further 93 workers will be drafted in during the summer holidays. The total investment value of the development is estimated to be between £15m and £20m.Merlin first revealed its intention to create an attraction at the NEC in November, which sparked speculation that it could be part of its LEGOLAND brand.