Controversial plans to build a Dracula theme park in Romania have been resurrected with Bucharest authorities promising up to £40m for the project.

The original plan was stalled when high profile opponents, including Prince Charles and Unesco, protested against the building of the park close to the medieval village of Sighisoara. The prince said the Dracula Park was “wholly out of keeping with the area”.

Now the 480-hectare park is to be built in Snagov, just outside the capital Bucharest, where it is said the Dracula of legend is buried. It will include a giant Dracula rollercoaster, catacombs and an aquatic area.

The building is expected to start next spring. A spokesperson said: “It’s difficult to estimate when the construction work will end. But when it’s ready we expect it to draw in around one million visitors a year.”