French theme park and historical experience operator Puy du Fou has submitted plans for its proposed £600m Bicester attraction to Cherwell District Council, following a year long consultation period.

If approved, the park would open in several phases beginning 2029, and would feature four period villages and 13 live shows, attracting an estimated 1.47 million visitors annually and delivering £500m each year to the local economy.

“We have only submitted these plans after an extensive consultation, which took over a year and included six in-person events and over 250 individual meetings, all of which have helped to shape our final proposals,” said CEO Olivier Strebelle.

“We did not rush our consultation because we wanted to get our proposals right. We have wanted to come to the UK for many years. Britain has such a rich, colourful and exciting history, and the site we have chosen near Bicester is the ideal location to create a world-class destination that will bring that history to life.”

It is estimated the park will employ 2,000 people, with a further 6,000 jobs created in supply and local hospitality, while the site will include three hotels and a conference centre open year-round.