The London Eye, originally known as the Millennium Wheel, opened to visitors on 31 December 1999. Along with the Millennium Dome (now The O2) it was part of London's Millennium celebration.
The planning consent originally ran for five years which was then extended. The current consent express in 2028 so operator Merlin Entertainments is applying to Lambeth Council to extend this.
With over 3m visitors every year, the London Eye is London's most popular paid for tourist attraction.