Godfrey Spanner, managing director of the company behind the project, said that despite several set backs, he is 'absolutely, totally confident' that the public will be on the SnOasis snow and ice by 2014. Builders will be moving on site in February and March according to Mr Spanner, ready for construction to begin in September 2011.
The SnOasis is now ten years in the making. The £350 million project has suffered numerous set backs due to concerns over energy efficiency and rare great crested newts living on the site, and technicalities over the process of applying for planning permission.When complete, the SnOasis will be the UK's largest indoor snow centre, incorporating a 415m long indoor ski slope, ice rink, facilities for 14 winter sports, hotels, shops and accommodation.
'We're scheduled for the second quarter of 2014 but at this minute I'm working with the team to see if we couldn't get the snow dome itself operating before that time,' Mr Spanner told the BBC. 'One of the planning conditions is that we must start the snow dome first.'
