Nirah Holdings, the team behind a giant aquarium project in Stewartby, Bedfordshire, has received outline planning permission from the county council.

Nirah will be built on the site of the former Quest pit, near the village of Stewartby – in an area formerly dominated by quarrying and the brick-making industry – will house 20 million gallons of fresh water and around 200 exhibits beneath two 15,000sq m (162,000sq ft) geodesic domes.

It will be located on a 250-acre site and also include gardens, a spa, hotels, a water park and tropical diving centre, food and retail outlets, a research institute and a science park.

Deputy leader of Bedfordshire County Council, Richard Stay, said: "This is a great day for Bedfordshire, because we can now turn the Nirah dream into a reality and in doing so put Bedfordshire back on the map.

"Nirah is set to become synonymous with the county in the same way that the Eden project is in Cornwall. We will now be watching Nirah’s development with great interest.

John Scott, cabinet member for planning and economic growth added: "Nirah is a central plank in our long term jobs and growth strategy and it is terrific to think that in the near future we will have a world-class and world-leading facility in the heart of the county, positioning Bedfordshire to attract global investment in research and conservation"

The Nirah scheme – now expected to cost around £400m – has been plagued by problems including a lack of funding and complaints from animal rights groups, and despite getting the go ahead may still run into opposition from a local developer.

Gallagher Estates, the company behind the construction of the Wixams villages south of Bedford, fears that a shuttle service carrying customers to the tourist attraction will create traffic chaos for future residents.

A spokesperson for the council said: "Committee members voiced concerns over site access and traffic management and were adamant these should be resolved before full planning permission is granted.

"These issues will come back to the Council’s Development Control Committee for consideration once more work has been done."