Planning permission has been granted for Universal Studios’ first theme park in the UK and Europe.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government approved the request for planning permission for the new theme park, at Kempston Hardwick near Bedford, by way of a Special Development Order (SDO).
The park will include several themed ‘lands’, as well as a host of retail, dining and entertainment spaces.
Universal Destinations & Experiences expect the park to be a major boost for the tourism and creative industries as well as the UK economy in general, estimating the project will create £50 billion of direct and indirect economic benefit.
It’s also set to become one of the region’s largest employers, creating 20,000 construction jobs and 8,000 permanent positions, once the park is open, with around 80% of all jobs going to workers in the local area.
In a letter to the local community, Page Thompson, President of New Ventures, Universal Destinations & Experiences, thanked the people of Bedford and local companies for their support.
She added: “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.
“In the months ahead, we are committed to sharing progress as well as what to expect including job opportunities and how local businesses and suppliers can potentially work with us.
“The interest and support we’ve already seen from both local companies and residents has been incredibly encouraging.”
Although planning for the theme park has been approved, there are still further steps to complete including a statutory parliamentary review period.
However, Universal Destinations and Experiences says the SDO decision represents “another important milestone” for the project.
For more information on the project, see www.universalukproject.co.uk
