Universal's UK theme park project appears to have taken a forward step, thanks a a £500 million pledge of government support.
The media conglomerate and theme park operator is planning its inaugural UK entertainment resort on a 192-hectare former brickworks site, just south of Bedford.
Britain's new major theme park is slated to welcome its first guests in 2031. In its debut year, the resort may draw as many as 8.5 million visitors.
Once complete, the park is predicted to add around £50 billion to the UK economy, starting with a boost to employment in the area. At first, around 20,000 construction jobs will be created before the opening of the park, which itself will support another 8,000 jobs.
To support the influx of guests, the UK government has committed £500 million toward transport improvements. Some £270 million is earmarked for rail enhancements and £200 million for road upgrades.
Network Rail has also floated a £300 million (including VAT) pipeline notice.
Key works include expanding the train station in the Bedfordshire village of Wixams, to increase the number of platforms to four from two. Procurement for the project is due to start in December, with building work scheduled from February 2027 through November 2030.
What to expect from Universal UK
The site, formerly home to a brickworks, spans 476 acres, and it will see the development of the theme park as well as a 500-room hotel, retail areas, restaurants and eateries as well as entertainment spaces.
Well, with 476 acres to work with, it is a sufficiently large site that Universal will have the wherewithal to create a world-class park.
For context, in Paris, the Disneyland Park is around 128 acres and the Walt Disney Studios Park covers around 67 acres currently (before the Frozen expansion area).
Meanwhile, in Orlando, Universal’s Islands of Adventure park spans around 112 acres and the Universal Studios park covers around 108 acres. At Epic Universe, the footprint of the park is around 110 acres (though the whole development area including road infrastructure and three new hotels closer to 750 acres).
Prime Minister Kier Starmer, in a government statement in April, said it would be “one of the biggest entertainment parks in Europe”.
The proposed new UK park is still six years away, so we’ll look forward to following the project between now and then.
