A new Universal theme park may be coming to the United Kingdom and the entertainment and attractions giant is asking Britons for their input.
Last year, Universal purchased a 476-acre parcel of land outside of Bedford, England, about 55 miles north of London, to explore the possibility of building a new theme park and resort. It would not only be the first Universal theme park in the U.K., but the first in all of Europe.
Over the last several months, the company says it’s been researching the feasibility of such a project and discussing it with local and national stakeholders.
While the project remains just an idea at this time, Universal is now asking for the public to chime in with their opinions on how a potential park might affect their lives and how the company could best honor and celebrate the region in a respectful manner.
“We have started a public engagement period on our potential theme park and resort experience in Bedford,” a Universal Destinations & Experiences spokesperson told Nexstar. “This represents the next step in our ongoing due diligence and feasibility work and is an opportunity for us to share early thinking on our plans and secure feedback.”
The park would be built south of Bedford on a 700-acre piece of property which includes the 476 acres purchased last year and a smaller parcel that Universal has the option to acquire.
The company said the area is already allocated for development and has the flat topography that a large-scale theme park resort would require.
The site has easy access to fast passenger rail service connecting to London and London Luton Airport, and a new regional rail project currently under construction that will connect Cambridge to Oxford would also provide additional rail service.
The Bedford region has a rich blue-collar history, Universal says, and was once the principal supplier of bricks throughout the British construction industry. While those brick plants were torn down decades ago, the industry left an indelible mark on those who called the region home and still do to this day.
Universal says it’s interested in incorporating some of the bricks still found on-site into some of the potential buildings and designs and even incorporate other aspects of the town’s history into food and drink facilities or future attractions.
For Universal, England is a logical place to develop a park and increase its influence. The company says 38 million U.K. residents traveled to its theme parks around the globe this past year, spending as much as £34 billion ($42.3 billion) annually.
The United Kingdom is an especially attractive market for Universal due to its strong tourism and transportation infrastructure that links seamlessly to the rest of Europe. Comcast, the parent company of Universal, already has a strong presence in the country with NBCUniversal and Sky both having headquarters there.
Universal says that a new park in the United Kingdom would be mutually beneficial for the company and its residents, emphasizing its potential to bring thousands of jobs and increase tourism throughout the region.
Any construction, Universal says, would be done with careful attention to local wildlife and ecology, with landscaping and dedicated green space a core component of any future plans. Comcast previously vowed to become carbon-neutral by 2035 and it says its theme parks play a big role in those goals.
Local infrastructure would also see significant investment, including the construction of at least one new rail station and dedicated direct roadways that would accommodate the bulk of the park’s traffic, according to documents posted on Universal’s official website for the project.
Locals are asked to participate in a short survey to provide feedback on the proposal, whether to show support, opposition or to offer input on how it could be improved.
“While it will still be some time before we decide whether or not we proceed, we look forward to further engaging with the community on this potential development,” the spokesperson said.
If there is adequate public support, and if Universal determines building a new park would be a smart financial move, construction could take between five and six years. In building a park in historic Bedford, Universal would also become permanent tenants of the region, writing a new chapter in the town’s history.
“If the project moves forward, we will become long-term members of the local community and look forward to future partnership,” an information packet posted online reads.
Members of the community can provide comment by either filling out the survey online, reaching out by phone or email, or requesting and mailing a paper copy.
Responses are due by May 3.
Any and all future updates will be posted online on Universal’s dedicated project website, the company says.