East London will gain a new, £80m new aquarium as part of the £1.5bn Silvertown Quays riverside redevelopment.
Called Biota!, the aquarium will be owned and operated by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). Equivalent in size to five football pitches, Biota! is expected to attract over one million visitors a year and was designed by Terry Farrell.
The building will be split into four biomes – replicating habitats found in the Amazonian rainforest, the Atlantic Ocean, the coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic and the British Isles.
A combination of day-lit glass roofed biomes and large aquatic tanks will exhibit over 550 species in 70 tanks including plants, fish, mammals and free-flying birds. A fifth area will concentrate on protecting aquatic species and habitats and have links with a variety of national and international conservation projects.
£65m of funding for the aquarium is already in place. ZSL intends to raise the remainder from a combination of public donations and subsidies.
ZSL director general, Ralph Armond, said: “To inspire visitors about the diversity of the world ecosystems is at the core of this unique initiative. Not only will it be a fantastic visitor experience, but it will also make a genuine contribution to the protection of our aquatic heritage.”
Outline planning permission has been granted for the entire Silvertown Quays regeneration while the aquarium is scheduled to open in 2008. Details: www.zsl.org
