Universal’s first UK theme park given green light for Bedfordshire site

The company claims the attraction will create nearly 30,000 jobs in the region

Dec 17, 2025 - 19:40

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Universal’s first UK theme park given green light for Bedfordshire site

The UK’s first Universal Studios theme park has been given planning permission to begin construction.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) approved the plans through a special development order (SDO), which enables the government to bypass standard local planning procedures.

The park, which is expected to open in 2031, is situated on a 700-acre site in Kempston, Hardwick, Bedfordshire.

Government forecasts predict that the theme park will attract more than eight million visitors a year and provide a £50bn boost to the British economy.

Universal claims the attraction will create 20,000 jobs in the construction phase, and 8,000 operational roles once up and running.

Local Labour MP Mohammad Yasin described the decision as a “landmark moment for Bedford and the wider region”, and “transformational and felt for decades to come”.

The attraction is being funded with £500m of public investment in rail and road infrastructure to support the project.

This includes the approval and almost doubling of capacity at Luton airport, which is expected to be a major hub for visitors to the attraction.

In November, it was confirmed that a new railway station would also be built to serve the park.

It will form part of the East West Rail line, which aims to connect Oxford to Cambridge via Bedford and Milton Keynes.

Visitors to the theme park in Bedford are likely to see rides based on the studio’s most famous film franchises, including Minions, Jaws and Jurassic Park.

Planning documents reveal that structures in the theme park could reach up to 115m in height, including rides.

"The reason for proposing structures up to this maximum height is to allow the proposed theme park to compete with other attractions in Europe," the proposal said.

Universal has five entertainment and resort complexes around the world: Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood in the USA, Universal Studios Japan (Osaka), Universal Beijing Resort in China and Universal Studios Singapore.

Page Thompson, president of new ventures at Universal Destinations & Experiences said in a statement: “I want to express my sincere appreciation for the continued engagement from Bedford and the various communities surrounding our site, as well as the many other national and local stakeholders who have provided feedback and expressed such enthusiasm on the transformative nature of our project.”