NEW images give a clear view of Chester Zoo’s vision for its new Grasslands attraction.
They are included in plans lodged with Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC) and include a new restaurant, lake, fisherman lodges and safari-style tents.
The scheme aims to include a range of different African habitats, from bush land to wildlife rich plains, which is planned to open to the public in 2022.
A spokesman said: “Its centrepiece would be a large, open African savannah habitat, home to multiple rare species including the Rothschild’s giraffe and Grevy’s zebra, as well as ostrich and antelope, all living alongside one another.
“On the edge of the mixed species habitat, the zoo aspires to create a restaurant offering spectacular balcony views across the savannah.
“Visitors would also come face to face with some of the planet’s smallest grassland creatures in a specially designed indoor habitat celebrating the contribution of all species to the ecosystem.”
The zoo - which is a wildlife conservation and education charity - hopes to connect more people than ever before with nature by offering close-up experiences with species such as cranes, vultures, aardvarks and warthogs, as part of efforts to inspire a nation of conservationists.
The planning proposal includes 42 rooms – 28 lodges and 14 tents.
The new area would be bordered by the zoo’s large, existing African Tsavo reserve area for Eastern back rhino and African painted dogs.
The spokesman added: “The new habitat is the latest stage in the zoo’s strategic development plan: a vision for the future of the zoo, broken into themed geographic regions with ever more natural habitats for threatened species.
“The existing Islands zone, which opened in 2015, was the first stage in this process, bringing the zoo’s global conservation work to life for visitors in Chester.
“The Grasslands development is being designed to help the zoo continue to push the boundaries of world-class animal husbandry and welfare, while also further establishing Chester Zoo’s position as one of the UK’s leading tourist attractions.”
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