2 days Ago By Kara Godfrey
A HUGE space-themed theme park could have transformed Manchester - and was even compared to Disneyland. Announced back in the 1990s, the huge attraction would be themed around Dan Dare, a comic book spaceman from Manchester. 5 A space theme park nearly opened in Manchester in the 1990s 5 Inside would be four lands, with a monorail, rollercoaster and 3D cinema 5 The theme park would be all undercover, and built on the Pomona Docks wasteland The £70million project would convert old wasteland area at Pomona Docks, the MEN reports which would be "built on the lines of Disneyland".
Inside would be four different worlds - Interplanetary Headquarters , Atlantis, Mekonta and Red Moon - which would all be undercover. Each would would be connected by a monorail, while inside would be a rollercoaster, 3D cinema, swimming pool and an 'astronaut school'. A 5,000 seat arena and nightclubs were also part of the plans, as well as its own 'luna credit' currency to be spent inside.
Read more on theme parks SPEEDING UP New theme parks and attractions opening in the UK and Europe in 2025 ISLE GO Tiny abandoned island in Portugal set to be transformed into new huge theme park A BBC report on the project at the time said: "This piece of wasteland in the heart of Dan Dare's home city is about to be turned into his 'space city'. "Looking at it now it's hard to believe, but they reckon in just over three years this place will be full of Dan Dare-themed attractions from rockets rides to a real space school. "And on days like this with smashing British weather they are promising it will all be undercover.
" It hoped to open by 1996 with one million tourists in the first year. Most read in News Travel ROOM FOR MORE Five of our favourite UK hotels to visit in 2025 MAN UP Men-only flights where kids and women were banned but cigars were allowed SPEEDING UP New theme parks and attractions opening in the UK and Europe in 2025 BRIT SHOW I’ve been a flight attendant for six years and Brits are the worst passengers However, despite given planning permission, the plans fizzled out with no works ever going ahead. Space City Limited, who where behind the plans, then closed in 1997.
First Look at New European Island Theme Park Ponoma Docks has since been converted into a new housing complex with the Castlefield Viaduct also set to be built over it. It was once even home to a 30,000-person concert hall - the biggest in the country at the time. And Space City wasn't the only futuristic theme park that hoped to open in the UK.
Battersea Power Station hoped to be turned into a theme park back in the 1980s. 5 The Manchester area has since been converted into a housing area Credit: Alamy John Broome - who founded Alton Towers - revealed plans including six floors of entertainment based on different continents, as well as a bullet train and "Space Probe ride". It also hoped to have the world's largest aquarium and Europe 's largest ice rinks.
However, plans were shelved due to both bad building integrity and asbestos, with the power station now converted into a major shopping attraction and housing area. And a 'cutting edge ' theme park like Disneyland was even planned for Milton Keynes in the 1980s although never came to fruition. Read more on the Scottish Sun DEEP FREEZE Exact time SNOW will blanket Scotland amid three-day arctic blast PET FAVOURITE Stunning Scots hotel with spa & award-winning eaterie listed among best in UK Here's the latest update on the London Resort, dubbed the 'UK Disneyland'.
We've even rounded up the new theme parks and attractions opening across Europe this year. 5 The docks will also soon be connected to Manchester's Castle Viaduct Credit: Alamy.
