Chester Zoo has revealed details of a £225m multi-phase development plan.

The first phase of the project – called Natural Vision – will be a £90m bio-dome named Heart of Africa.

The dome will be themed on an African rainforest and be home to a band of gorillas, a troop of chimpanzees, Okapi (rare giraffe-like creatures) and a variety of tropical birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish and invertebrates.

The Heart of Africa will include a series of connected domes, with an interactive water ride and themed dining facilities.

London-based architects Proctor & Matthews – who were responsible for the Gorilla Kingdom at London zoo – are designing the dome. They will be assisted by Faber Maunsell, which will be providing all engineering services, including structural, services, sustainability and ecological advice. Turner & Townsend will provide project and cost management services.

The first phase will also include a 90-bedroom hotel, a conservation college and a revamped main entrance leading to a marina development on zoo-owned land beside the Shropshire Union Canal.

Later phases will include the development of themed zones – representing the African Savannah, with large mixed herd exhibits such as lions, giraffe, rhino, zebra and antelope; an Asian Plains zone with elephants, cheetah and rhino; and an Islands and Water zone.

There are also plans for a Cheshire Village zone, which would include a farmyard, children’s play facilities and themed dining.

Professor Gordon McGregor Reid, director general of Chester Zoo, said: “Natural Vision will offer a fun, family-friendly, adventurous yet educational window on the world of conservation. Chester Zoo already actively supports and runs conservation, science and veterinary projects in all corners of the globe, but the increased visitor footfall from this new project will dramatically increase what we are able to do and fund out in the field.

“Our intention now is to move forward to the planning stage and we will be working closely with government agencies and our neighbouring communities during this process.”

The Northwest Regional Development Agency has provided funding to enable the project to progress to the planning stage. A formal application is expected to be submitted later this year.

The entire project is expected to be completed in 2018.