Eden Project Morecambe revealed in new images

New images of what the long-awaited ecotourism attraction Eden Project Morecambe will look like have been released.

The shell-inspired structure, sister site to the original Eden Project in Cornwall, is due to open in late 2028 and is expected to attract thousands of people to the Lancashire town.

CGI images, by architects Grimshaw, show how the design will look on the edge of Morecambe Bay promenade.

The project team said the structure would be "instantly recognisable" as an "emblem of sustainability" with a "deep connection to place" and complimenting heritage landmarks nearby.

The project, led by Lancaster City Council, Lancashire County Council and Lancaster University, has faced several delays due to funding but the images have been hailed an "exciting" development.

Andy Jasper, chief executive officer of the Eden Project, said: "This project is profoundly important to us all.

"It is not just a project for Morecambe, but for the whole of the UK, and we are delighted to share how the design process is progressing."

Eden Project Morecambe will be built on the promenade where Bubbles leisure complex used to be sited, with the Grade II listed Winter Gardens and Midland Hotel its near neighbours.

It will be only the second eco-visitor attraction and botanical garden in the UK, following Eden Project Cornwall which opened in March 2001.

Described as a "global garden", it will feature three large shell-shaped pavilions overlooking Morecambe Bay, "inspired by the natural geometries, beauty and efficiency of seashells".

Visitors to Eden Project Morecambe will explore The Realm of the Sun - a bright, tropical landscape of the near future where "humans have discovered how to heal and re-engage with the broken rhythms of the natural world around them".

They will also visit The Realm of the Moon - billed as a "dark space bringing to life the extraordinary rhythms of Morecambe Bay and the species that call it home".

Defining the space will be The Elder Tree, designed to be a 65ft (20m) theatrical sculpture.

A hyper-real rock pool showing the sped-up cycles of tides, days and seasons in an "ever-changing immersive world" is also part of the design.

Jolyon Brewis, Partner at Grimshaw, said: "Influenced by the natural rhythms of Morecambe, two extraordinary structures – the Realm of the Sun and the Realm of the Moon – will define this destination."

Details about a further two realms – a four seasons garden and a public realm – will be unveiled later.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.