Diggerland is continuing to expand across the UK after reaching an agreement with Evesham County Park in Worcestershire to open its fifth British location, coming in February 2016 at a cost of £5m (US$7.5m, €7m).

Established in 2000, Diggerland recently made the leap overseas, opening its first franchised theme park in the US. Currently operating in four UK locations – including Devon, Durham, Kent and Yorkshire – Diggerland has reached a rental agreement with Evesham County Park, soon to be renamed “The Valley”, to use its land to open the fifth Diggerland location in Britain.

"With Diggerland hitting all four corners of the UK, we have been planning a move to the Midlands for quite some time,” said Diggerland CEO, Hugh Edeleanu. “When we discovered Evesham Country Park (The Valley), we jumped at the chance to get on board. The location is undergoing an impressive re-brand itself and we are excited to be a part of it.”

Masterhitch Europe – sister company to Diggerland – has worked on designs and will handle construction. The Spindizzy, Groundshuttle and Skyshuttle rides will be a premier feature of the park, which will also have more than 100 kid-friendly diggers, dumpers and other mechanical attractions, even offering the chance to get behind the wheel of a full-size JCB digger. In addition, the development will include indoor play areas, retail and the park’s signature Dig Inn café.

Overlooking the River Avon, Diggerland will be set within 125 acres (505,000sq m) of green space, also comprising a garden centre, factory outlet, farm shop and miniature steam railway. The rebranded County Park is also soon to offer a shopping village, cafés, restaurants, cycle tracks, climbing walls, running tracks and picnic areas.