20 December 2023 , 14:52
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The UK could soon be home to a new, enormous theme park.
Universal Studios has bought 480 acres of land outside of London. The firm - which has resorts in the US, Singapore, China and Japan - has purchased a former brickworks site in Bedfordshire.
The Stewartby location is just outside of Bedford and close to Luton, meaning it will be easy for international visitors jetting into the airport there to reach.
Although the land has been bought, Universal Studios has not committed to building anything yet and has not submitted any planning applications. The company says it is in the "early stages of exploring its feasibility", considering what could be done on a plot of land that was due to hold 1,000 homes which were never built.
The former brickworks site used to have 167 chimneys, but they have all since been demolished.
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The theme park may be built on the site of a former brickworks (Bedfordshire Live)A spokesperson for the company behind Universal Studios said: "We recently acquired land in Bedford and are at the early stages of exploring its feasibility for a potential park and resort at this site. It will be many months before we are ready to make a decision to proceed and we look forward to engaging with all relevant stakeholders and the local community.
"We are always looking at new locations around the world, including in Europe, and the UK is an attractive place for a potential project. The UK has a large population, creative industries, strong tourism, and transportation infrastructure with close proximity to other parts of Europe."
The site was plumped for because of its "transportation connectivity to London and Europe with more than half of the UK population within two hours, including just 45 minutes outside of London". The spokesperson added: "We support Bedford's vision of becoming a prosperous place to live, work and visit."
"We take a proactive approach to partnering with local communities and stakeholders (like Bedford Borough Council) when pursuing potential projects."
If a theme park was built on the site, it would constitute a major transformation for Bedford, a market town of around 170,000 people. Other attractions in the area include Whipsnade Zoo and Woburn Animal Park.
Tom Wootton, the elected mayor of Bedford Borough Council, said: "The suggestion of a major business investment is of course positive, nevertheless these are early days and much detailed work is required before any decisions are made. We very much welcome and are excited by the interest from Universal and the immense potential for it to be transformative for the borough. We're committed to ensure that any plans align with the best interests of our residents."
Universal Studios theme parks bring some of the company's greatest film hits to life through attractions such as the Revenge of the Mummy, Transformers: The Ride 3D, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts and The Simpsons Ride.