Universal Studios gets green light to be built in Bedfordshire

Planning permission has been granted for the first Universal Studios theme park to be built in the UK, an MP has said.

Mohammad Yasin, the Labour MP for Bedford and Kempston, said the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government had given the go-ahead for the complex to be constructed in Kempston Hardwick, close to Bedford.

Universal had sought planning permission through a special development order (SDO), which would allow the government to approve the project directly and bypass standard local planning procedures.

The entertainment company expects the park to attract more than eight million visitors a year and open by 2031.

Yasin said it was a “landmark moment for Bedford and the wider region”.

“The confirmation of planning permission for the Universal Destinations & Experiences Entertainment Resort Complex is transformational and will be felt for decades to come,” he said.

Bedford Borough Council said the park would provide £50bn of “economic benefit to the economy” and followed several years of close collaboration between Universal, councillors and council staff.

Universal and the government have been approached for comment.

The site will be built on a former brickworks and was chosen for its nearby transport links, including rail services and London Luton Airport.

Planning documents released in July showed that structures reaching up to 377ft (115m) were proposed for the site, making them the tallest rides in Europe.

About 55,000 visitors are expected on peak days.

The plans showed that most structures at the park would range between 20m and 30m, with some taller structures creating a skyline with “visual interest”.

It would also include parking for more than 7,000 cars, additional spaces for hundreds of people to arrive by coach and bicycle and an entry plaza.

Details of the rides have not been released, but a source close to the project told the BBC that James Bond, Paddington and The Lord of the Rings-themed attractions could feature.

Adam Zerny, the Independent leader of Central Bedfordshire Council, said it would bring “significant benefits to our area, creating new jobs and increasing income for many local businesses”.

Universal previously said the complex would feature a “theme park with several themed lands, visitor accommodation, as well as a range of retail, dining and entertainment uses” and would create 28,000 jobs.

It said 80% of employees were expected to come from Bedford, central Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes.

“The project will also help deliver several long-sought-after transportation upgrades, including an expanded Wixams railway station, direct slip roads from the A421 and other local road improvements,” it added.

Work to build a new railway station at Wixams started in August 2024, but it was put on hold to allow a bigger station to be built to accommodate Universal.

Last month, East West Rail Company (EWR Co) said a new railway station would be built to serve the park in Stewartby.

National Highways confirmed there would be upgrades to the transport network in the area, which would include a new link road off the A421.

Zerny said: “I have met with Universal to discuss the implications for our area, and I am encouraged by the acknowledgement that improvements to local road infrastructure will be necessary.”

While some residents welcomed the plans and the prospect of more jobs, others, including some living close to the site in Manor Road, Kempston Hardwick, told the BBC they had not been informed about what would happen to their homes.

In July, they said they had not received confirmed offers of compensation even though their properties were earmarked for demolition in Universal’s plans to transform the former brickworks site.

Blake Stephenson, the Conservative MP for Mid Bedfordshire, said he would “work closely with residents, the council, and Universal Studios as the project moves forward, to ensure the infrastructure our communities need is delivered so that we can reap the rewards of this exciting development”.

He welcomed the project and said it would “bring thousands of jobs” as well as exciting new opportunities for young people, and “a major boost for local businesses and tourism”.