sNOasis balloon helped show just how big SnOasis will actually be

To show everyone just how big the proposed SnOasis ski–dome will be, sNOasisConcern launched a helium balloon as near to the actual SnOasis site as possible and as high as our CAA licence would allow us (60 metres above land). The results shocked everyone including those who have studied the development in detail. The balloon shows that the proposed SnOasis development will tower over the Suffolk landscape. The ski-dome will actuallly be higher than this - 73 metres above the surrounding land – that’s 242 feet or the height of 14 double decker buses - and it will totally dominate the Suffolk skyline. The proposed SnOasis site itself sits on relatively high land to the north-west of Gt Blakenham and thus adds to the area which will be blighted by SnOasis. While our balloon is only 20 feet long it could still be seen from many towns and villages around Suffolk. Remember that the actual building will be nearly 700 feet long and 200 feet wide - a truly massive scar on the landscape. According to the developers (Onlsow Suffolk Ltd), Mid Suffolk District Council have apparently encouraged SnOasis to be built because they believe that Suffolk needs a 'landmark building' to put it on the map. We already have a building in Ipswich called Landmark House on the A14 and it is much despised by all who can see it. Take a look at the comparison between SnOasis and Landmark House ( the old Agilent building) below to get an idea of how high SnOasis will actually be. The picture to the right shows the balloon flying within 100 feet of the proposed ski-dome site. The picture shows that the SnOasis site is not a devastated moonscape as the developers consistently claim but a well restored area of chalk grassland, lakes and trees. To the rear is Shilling Wood, clearly visible for many miles around. As you can see, the balloon shows that the proposed height of the ski-dome will be around 4 times higher than the trees - a truly massive building that will dominate the skyline.

If you thought that the old Agilent building, Landmark House, (located on the A14 between Ipswich and Bramford) was a blot on the landscape, here's a comparison of just how big SnOasis will be comapared to it. Of course, SnOasis won't be located there, its actually on higher ground a couple of miles away at Gt. Blakenham so it will be seen by thousands of people. Suffolk has its own character and landmarks - we don't need  a giant metal slug to define our county!