You could soon be able to stay overnight in a safari lodge, and wake up to see giraffes and other animals roaming freely.
That’s right… it’s finally happening.
It’s been a very long time coming, but this week – after several years of waiting following plans first being hinted at in 2019, and revised plans then being unveiled back in June 2022 – Chester Zoo has now been given the highly-anticipated green light to build dozens of savannah-style lodges on a plot of its land that’s currently not being actively-used.
A total of 51 lodges have been approved by Cheshire West and Chester Council’s planning department as part of the ‘Grasslands’ development – with some of them set to overlook a lake, while others overlook an enclosure with free-roaming giraffes.
As mentioned, similar proposals to those that’ve been green-lit this week had been approved in 2019, but they had to be put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Plans have been approved to build dozens of new overnight safari lodges at Chester Zoo / Credit: Chester Zoo
Revised plans were then submitted in 2022 for 63 lodges, but this was later reduced to 51.
On top of the reduction to 51 lodges last year, a number of changes also had to be made to the design of the development’s welcome building to make it “simpler” in response to rising costs, according to reports by CheshireLive and BBC News.
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The approved plans include four types of lodges, all with a design based on traditional timber African safari lodges.
Alongside the 51 lodges, the Council’s planners have also approved a two-storey reception building with a bar and restaurant, an orientation lodge, and the groundworks for the all-important creation of a lake the development’s set to overlook.
Visitors will be able to wake up too see giraffes and other animals roaming freely / Credit: Chester Zoo
Given that the development is proposed for Green Belt land, this means it can only be built on if special circumstances are demonstrated, and other considerations also had to be taken into account by the Council’s planning committee too, such as the contribution the zoo makes to the local economy, and the benefits it provides to education and global conservation initiatives.
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But the planners’ report stated that all those requirements had been met in the latest proposals submitted by the zoo.
“Taken together, it is considered that these considerations outweigh the harm to the Green Belt and amount to very special circumstances,” the report stated.
It then concluded that: “On balance, subject to the conditions set out below and taking into account the provisions of the development plan and all other material planning considerations, it is recommended that planning permission be granted”.
A timeline for works, and predicted project completion dates are set to be announced in due course, so keep your eyes peeled.
Featured Image – Chester Zoo
Travel & Tourism
Mandatory eye tests could be introduced for drivers over 70 in the UK
Emily Sergeant
Mandatory eye testing could be introduced in the UK as part of the first road safety strategy in more than a decade.
According to Government statistics, approximately four people die on Britain’s roads every day, with thousands more seriously injured each year, but through targeted action on speeding, drink and drug driving, not wearing seat belts, and mobile phone use, it’s expected that thousands of these tragedies can be prevented.
In fact, the new road safety strategy sets out an ‘ambitious’ plan to reduce deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads by 65% before 2035.
With the number of older drivers continuing to rise year on year, in line with Britain’s ageing population, a consultation on mandatory eyesight testing for those over 70 will be launched, the Government has announced, while options for cognitive testing will also be developed to protect all road users.
Mandatory eye tests could be introduced for drivers over 70 in the UK / Credit: David Travis (via Unsplash)
On top of this, measures to tackle inexperience behind the wheel by introducing a minimum learning period for learner drivers, and lowering the alcohol limit for driving for the first time since 1976 to help prevent causes of collisions, are also to be discussed.
This strategy sets out a new approach to reverse a decade of ‘stalled progress’, according to the Department for Transport (DfT).
It includes the internationally recognised Safe System approach, which acknowledges that while human error is inevitable, deaths and serious injuries are not, and rather than placing responsibility solely on individual drivers, the system ensures that road design, vehicle safety, enforcement and education work together to protect all road users.
We've launched a new Road Safety Strategy, aiming to cut deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads by 65% by 2035.
Key points include: – tougher action on drink driving – minimum learning periods for learner drivers – mandatory eye tests for older drivers
— Department for Transport (@transportgovuk) January 7, 2026
A new Road Safety Investigation Branch will be set up to analyse collision patterns and inform prevention strategies.
The branch will draw on linked police and healthcare data to identify root causes and make sure any interventions are more effectively targeted.
Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, described the strategy as a ‘turning point’, adding that: “We are taking decisive action to make our roads safer for everyone, from new drivers taking their first lessons to older motorists wanting to maintain their independence.
“The measures we are announcing today will save thousands of lives over the coming decade.
“Every life lost on our roads is a tragedy that devastates families and communities. For too long, progress on road safety has stalled.”
Featured Image – Andrea Piacquadio (via Pexels)
Travel & Tourism
Train ticket prices slashed by more than 50% as huge rail sale returns across UK
Emily Sergeant
The Great British Rail Sale is returning in the new year, and train ticket prices will be slashed by up to 50% or more.
Millions of discounted train tickets for half term activities, weekend getaways, and even commuting will be up for grabs next week, as the week-long rail sale – which is set to run from 6 to 12 January 2026 – will give passengers the chance to save well over 50% on many advance and off-peak tickets.
The reduced fares can be used to travel on thousands of popular routes between 13 January and 25 March 2026.
Nearly all train operators are taking part, with routes spanning the entire country.
For example, those who may be planning a quick getaway abroad over the next couple of months will be able to save quite a few pennies, as journeys from Manchester Piccadilly to Manchester Airport will cost just £1.20, down from £2.90.
You can get up to 50% off train tickets next week / Credit: Northern | Transpennine Express
This is the fourth year of the Great British Rail Sale, with last year’s sale selling more than one million tickets and saving passengers around £8 per journey, as well as generating £9 million in ticket sale revenue for the industry.
“The Rail Sale is back,” commented Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander. “And that means further discounts for passengers as we freeze rail fares for the first time in three decades to help ease the cost of living.
“We all want to see cheaper rail travel, so whether you’re planning a half term getaway, or visiting friends or family, this sale offers huge reductions.”
This year’s sale comes as the Government aims to ‘ease the cost of living’ for hard-working people by freezing rail fares for the first time in 30 years.
If you weren’t aware, the Government is also in the process of bringing in major reform to Britain’s rail services by establishing Great British Railways (GBR) – which is the new, nationalised organisation to run the railway uniting together 17 different organisations under a single directing mind.
Emily Sergeant -
15th May 2024 
