Bid to build new Elveden Forest Center Parcs, near Thetford, zip line ride green lit by West Suffolk Council

A bid to build a new zip line ride at a Center Parcs in Suffolk has been green lit.

The plans from Simon Evans for a 145-metre ZipZag ride at Elveden Forest, near Thetford, were approved by West Suffolk Council yesterday.

This course is similar to a roller coaster, with twists and turns, but instead of being in a cart, riders hang from a zip line.

The course requires the installation of foundations and anchors across the designated site to support it, as well as an access platform which will be around 10m high.

Initial objections were submitted to the proposals on the grounds of the foundations being in root protection areas of trees, but after amended details from the applicants for these to be low impact foundations and confirmation there would be no invasive fixings to treess, these were dropped.

The ZipZag company already has one of its rides at another UK venue – Gulliver’s Kingdom, in Matlock Bath, Derbyshire.

The new course will be towards the centre of the holiday village, at the western edge of the main lake.

It would have a spiral tower that would be used for both the start and finish of the ride.

Planners said the development would lead to improvements of the existing Center Parcs facility and, as it would not cause a significant increase in visitor numbers, they did not express any fears of increased traffic.

The plans were approved subject to conditions on a time limit for the works, certain working periods and accordance with environmental regulations.