Universal Studios gets green light to be built in Bedfordshire

Planning permission has been granted for the first Universal Studios theme park to be built in the UK, an MP has said.

Mohammad Yasin, the Labour MP for Bedford and Kempston, said the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government had given the go-ahead for the complex to be constructed in Kempston Hardwick, close to Bedford.

Universal had sought planning permission through a special development order (SDO), which would allow the government to approve the project directly and bypass standard local planning procedures.

The entertainment company expects the park to attract more than eight million visitors a year and open by 2031.

Yasin said it was a “landmark moment for Bedford and the wider region”.

“The confirmation of planning permission for the Universal Destinations & Experiences Entertainment Resort Complex is transformational and will be felt for decades to come,” he said.

Bedford Borough Council said the park would provide £50bn of “economic benefit to the economy” and followed several years of close collaboration between Universal, councillors and council staff.

Universal and the government have been approached for comment.

The site will be built on a former brickworks and was chosen for its nearby transport links, including rail services and London Luton Airport.

Planning documents released in July showed that structures reaching up to 377ft (115m) were proposed for the site, making them the tallest rides in Europe.