Eden Project reveals site of new Dundee tourist attraction
- Published
The Eden Project wants the site of a former Dundee gasworks to be the location for its first attraction in Scotland.
The charity said the East Dock Street site would be a "powerful symbol of regeneration."
It said the attraction would include walled gardens and draw on the history of Dundee's Nine Incorporated Trades.
The Eden Project said the development would create 200 jobs and contribute £27m a year to the regional economy.
The charity's Cornwall site, billed as "the largest indoor rainforest in the world", attracts about a million visitors a year.
The new project would be on the site of the former Dundee Gasworks
An artist's impression of the Dundee project shows a bridge from the site crossing East Dock Street to the city's docks.
The charity said it would include a high-tech zone showcasing new ways to grow plants and featuring "hyper-real journeys into the air, soil and water" and the Seam, a collection of "emotional, story-driven experiences related to mining and its alternatives".
The site is currently empty, with the exception of a large spiral-guided gas holder.
The charity identified it as its preferred site after a six-month feasibility study.
It has signed a memorandum of understanding with the owners National Grid and SGN to explore the practicalities of converting the site.
The Eden Project in Cornwall attracts about one million visitors a year
David Harland, chief executive of Eden Project International, said: "The former Dundee Gasworks site is by far the best location for our Scottish home and we're delighted to have a formal agreement in place to start working on a detailed plan."
The original Eden Project, located near St Austell in Cornwall, opened in March 2001.
The charity says its "transformational and regenerative" projects have a theme of "humanity's connection to the natural world."
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the plans and illustrations for the preferred site "look nothing short of stunning".
She added: "Alongside the iconic V&A, Eden is another game-changing draw to the city and the surrounding area and will play a key role in Dundee's strategic economic recovery from Covid."