£300m indoor ski centre near Ipswich have moves forward following talks between its developer and the government

Plans for a £300m indoor ski centre near Ipswich have moved forward following talks between its developer and the government.

The SnOasis complex, which has been on the drawing board for several years, was granted planning permission in 2008 but requires a new rail station to go-ahead.

Now developer Onslow Suffolk has said it is “very optimistic” after being advised to submit a business plan for a new station at Great Blakenham by the Department for Transport.

Godfrey Spanner, manager of Onslow Suffolk, told the BBC: “The hold-up has been that we have not had the ability to negotiate terms of operating our railway station with a railway operator.

“There were no promises made [by the DfT], but we found a path forward that will allow us to be included in the next round of tenders and the next railway operator should be in place in 2014.

“We’re no longer at stalemate and I’m very optimistic for the first time in 18 months.”

Spanner said investors remain in the wings and estimates that SnOasis will open in 2015.

The Mountfield Group has been lined-up for several contracts on the job.