UK set for its very own Universal Studios as plan rumoured to get sign off

A Universal Studios taxable parkland successful Bedfordshire could soon beryllium a world (Image: Getty)

Hollywood heavyweight Universal Studios is readying to build a 476-acre taxable park successful Bedfordshire that could “transform” UK tourism.

Universal Destinations & Experiences bought the onshore astatine Stewartby successful 2023 and portion small advancement has been made since, authorities backing could spot its operation importantly sped up successful the adjacent fewer weeks.

A study by Bloomberg has suggested that chancellor Rachel Reeves volition assistance support to the delayed task alongside different beleaguered schemes including the expansions of Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton Airports.

The “growth” speech, which volition beryllium delivered to Parliament successful February, volition beryllium portion of an urgent bid for enlargement “after planetary markets cast uncertainty connected the credibility of the UK’s economical plans” earlier this month, the outlet reported.

They said the Universal Studios tract would beryllium “signed off” by the chancellor, citing anonymous sources who were “familiar with the matter”.

Universal Studios already has taxable parks successful the US, China, Japan and Singapore (Image: Getty)

Universal Studios already has taxable parks successful China, Japan, the US and Singapore, with rides and attractions based connected its wide amusement portfolio, including Despicable Me, Fast & Furious and Harry Potter.

Tourism curate Chris Bryant besides heavy implied the plans would get underway soon successful a reply to Mid Beds MP Blake Stephenson successful the Commons past week.

He said: “I cannot participate into the precise details of the negotiations, but they are going well.

“I americium hopeful that this volition beryllium perfectly transformational for the British tourism manufacture if we negociate to propulsion it off.”

While details of the taxable parkland are fewer and acold between, Universal has revealed that the parcel of onshore it has acquired successful Bedford is astir 476-acres - a akin size to the company’s arguably astir well-known park, its 541-acre analyzable successful Orlando, Florida.

A spokesperson has besides described Bedford arsenic an perfect improvement spot acknowledgment to its question links - accelerated obstruction transportation to London and Luton Airport.

The tract volition beryllium astir 46 miles extracurricular London successful Bedfordshire (Image: Getty)

“More broadly, the UK is simply a precise charismatic marketplace for a caller taxable parkland acquisition with its ample population, originative industries, beardown tourism, proscription infrastructure and links to Europe,” a missive distributed to locals past April read.

Without going into specifics, they added: “Our task would person wide-ranging economic, societal and taste benefits some for, and good beyond, the section area, including for the wider portion and country.”

The workplace elephantine has besides stated its volition to use for a peculiar improvement order, giving the UK authorities powers implicit readying approval.

“To person specified a immense planetary marque similar Universal Studios put successful Britain would beryllium fantastic,” Bedford MP Mohammad Yasin told Bedford Today.

Mayor Tom Wootton added that the task had “immense imaginable … to beryllium transformative for the borough”, pledging to “ensure that immoderate plans align with the champion interests of our residents”.