The £50m (US$67.6m, €56.4m) expansion of Yorkshire Wildlife Park has been approved, with 150 acres (61 hectares) of new land set to transform the attraction and provide an economic boost to the region.

The plan, rubber-stamped by Doncaster Council, includes new animal reserves, lakes, landscaping and a visitor support hub at the new entrance, as well as restaurants and a destination hotel.

The expansion will double the visitor attraction’s workforce to 600 people and introduce more than 400 new animals from 80 species.

“We're very excited about this next stage of our life – this is a game changer for Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Doncaster and the surrounding area,” said the park’s CEO, John Minion.

“This will attract a wider audience from around the country and will be a wonderful resource for local people.”

Founded in 2010, the park has grown significantly since opening, with visitor numbers last year totalling 761,000 – making it one of the UK’s most popular zoos.

The park has generated £12.2m (US$16.5m, €13.8m) for the local economy to date.