Universal Destinations & Experiences is starting a public engagement period for its planned theme park in the UK.
Universal confirmed plans for a UK theme park in December after buying a 476-acre parcel of land south of Bedford.
The company said the public engagement period “represents an important milestone in our feasibility and due diligence work, however, it does not mean we have made a final decision on whether or not to proceed with this potential project”.
As part of this, there will be two public events this month. The first takes place on 13 April between 11am and 4pm at Kimberley College in Stewartby. The second will be held on 16 April from 4.30pm until 8pm at Bedford College.
Residents and businesses from the local area can also review Universal’s information pack on the project website and provide feedback via an online survey, which is open until 3 May.
Labour MP for Bedford & Kempston, Mohammed Yasin, said (via the BBC): “I have been clear from the start with Universal that it is important that to keep public support, they are as transparent as possible, and I am pleased that at such an early stage of the project public engagement has begun.”
In February, the UK government said it would back the plans for a new Universal Studios theme park. Before that, Labour MP for Mid Bedfordshire Alistair Strathern said he had been in “lots of discussions with Universal”.
“There is a lot of real excitement among local residents, after some initial disbelief,” Strathern told the BBC.
Public survey open through 3 May
“People are excited about the scale of the project and job opportunities, and see this as a chance to address longstanding concerns about our infrastructure.
“Fundamentally, this is one of the biggest opportunities to come to Mid Bedfordshire for a long time.”
Universal currently operates theme parks in Hollywood and Orlando, and also in Japan, Beijing and Singapore.
Images courtesy of Universal Destinations & Experiences
