Detailed look at Gulliver's Valley theme park plan

The planning application for the 250-acre former Pithouse West site has now been submitted to Rotherham Borough Council.

The resort beside Rother Valley Country Park will centre on a main theme park hub aimed at two to 13-year-olds and accommodation including three hotels.

The project will create up to 125 full-time and 325 part-time jobs and planning papers predict “significant benefit” to Rotherham’s economy.

Gulliver’s director Julie Dalton said: “These are our most ambitious plans to date. 

“As our fourth theme park project, Gulliver’s Valley will bring together the best elements of our existing parks plus a huge amount of our experience and learning from the last 38 years since my father opened our very first park in Matlock Bath.”

A planning decision is expected to be made in January and work could start on site before the end of 2017. The resort would be built in phases over a 15-year period, with a total of up to 20,000sq metres of buildings.

The Lilliput Castle Hotel would be the centrepiece of the park, containing 100 rooms and the main catering hub.

Gulliver’s Gear - a celebration of all things wheel-related - is one of the new elements not seen at the firm’s other attractions.

The ecology centre will offer a programme of environmental education and Gulliver’s Glade will provide outdoor activities like climbing, zip wires and mud slides.

There have been two rounds of public consultation since the theme park proposal was unveiled last year. 

Resulting changes included moving the main hub further from housing, shifting access from the A57 to Mansfield Road and moving taller rides into lower areas to reduce visual impact.

“It’s an exciting time for us now that the application has finally been submitted,” said Julie. 

“Gulliver’s Valley is set to give the area an economic boost as we look to use a local supply chain and bring tourism pounds into the local economy. 

“Add to that the number of local jobs it will create, up to 255 full time equivalent posts, and it will be a real positive for the Rother Valley community.”

Previous ideas for Pithouse West - the YES! Project and Visions of China - failed to attract interest or outside investment.

In May, the council agreed to sell the site to Gulliver’s, which will design, fund, build and operate the resort itself.

RMBC’s planning consultation period ends on November 17.