Oslo-based property developer Selvaag has been granted planning permission to develop one of the world’s largest indoor ski arenas.

Masterplanned by London architects Chapman Taylor in collaboration with renowned Norwegian architect Prof. Thomas Thiis-Evensen, the Winter Village scheme in Ødegården has been designed for cross country, free ski and downhill skiing, and will be the first indoor ski arena to be built in Norway.

Offering year-round skiing for local people and elite athletes, the 140,000sq m (1.5 million sq ft) development will include a 37,0000sq m (400,000sq ft) ski resort. Included will be cross-country trails built over three storeys, offering 2.5km (1.5 miles) of runs, a 505 metre (1,600 foot) downhill alpine ski course and free-to-use outdoor ski slopes. In addition to the ski resort, the development will also include a 350 bedroom hotel with conference facilities, a service centre for skis and equipment, service rooms for clubs and teams, classrooms, offices and a sports academy for Norwegian ski sports.

Speaking to CLAD, a representative of Chapman Taylor said that the Ski-hall design has been conceived in form and layout as a glacier. This glacier design sits between the woods – a housing development made up of apartments – and the rocks, an under development office complex.

The development is aiming to be eco-friendly, with the structure allowing in natural light but not heat, with the heat generated from cold production reused to power the rest of the Winter Village.

Kjetil Fladmark Larsen, general manager for the project, said that the zoning plan should be approved by Q1 2016, with construction starting in Q3 and taking 18 months to two years to complete, meaning the hall could be ready for the end of 2017. While development costs have not been revealed, reports indicate that Winter Village will cost around €400m (US$448m, £295m) to develop.