tenerife’s siam park, one of the best in the world according to TripAdvisor users, is on the verge of getting a sister park on neighbouring island, gran canaria.

The €60m (£52.7m, US$67m) Siam Park 2 is the brainchild of the kiessling Group, which owns and operates the longstanding loro parque zoo and aquarium and Siam Park, which opened in 2008 – both on Tenerife. The new waterpark, which aims to become the biggest in Europe, will be built in a similar Thai-inspired style and located at Playa del Inglés, Gran Canaria.

According to the company, getting clearance for the 18-hectare (44-acre) development has taken a long time and there have been numerous hurdles to overcome to get all the correct permissions and permits in place. However, Attractions Management understands construction on the project is starting soon, with a projected completion date in 2.5 to 3 years time.

Kiessling Group is also building another attraction on Gran Canaria, an aquarium named poema del mar, which is set to open before the end of this year.

Siam Park 2 has been held up for a number of reasons, including a legal challenge by Lebensraum Wassers, a company that claimed the Kiessling Group would be using publicly owned land for a private commercial venture. However, the canary islands High Court of Justice denied the claim and recognised the waterpark as being in the public interest.