Local news today - or at least, falling within the area covered by BBC Look East, the local news magazine programme in the evening.
This story has been in the background for a year or so now, as Universal Studios identified a former brick works near Bedford as the possible site for a huge theme park. The location is Kempston Hardwick, close to Bedford.
Earlier today it was given government approval, as it was granted a Special Development Order (SDO).
This now promises to be a long term geography case study to follow as it develops.
There were lots of positives in the local news including improvements to infrastructure including roads and railway connections, improvements to Luton Airport etc., jobs, investment and a multiplier effect with young people in work and money in the local economy for taxi drivers, hotels etc.
Some also expressed caution at the environmental impact, and the long term nature of this will affect some local residents as well.
A previous proposal for a site on the side of the River Thames didn't go ahead. Garry Simmons and Elen Harris wrote an excellent article in Teaching Geography on the possible use as a long-term study for geography and a KS3 unit on Theme Parks. It is worth revisiting.
The site is said to expect up to 8 million visitors a year.
I will use this post as the start of a series of posts in the years ahead, which will chart the development of the project as contractors get to work, and more information emerges.
The Planning Application documents will provide a great deal of information for teachers to dig into.
From the BBC article:
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.Adam Zerny, the Independent leader of Central Bedfordshire Council, said it would bring "significant benefits to our area, creating new jobs and increasing income for many local businesses".
Universal said it was "poised to become one of the region's largest employers, creating 20,000 construction jobs and 8,000 permanent positions once operational, with approximately 80% of all jobs going to local workers".
"The project will help deliver key transportation upgrades, including an expanded Wixams railway station and new direct slip roads from the A421."
Work to build a new railway station at Wixams started in August 2024, but it was put on hold to allow a bigger station to be built to accommodate Universal.
Last month, East West Rail Company (EWR Co) said a new railway station would be built to serve the park in Stewartby.
National Highways confirmed there would be upgrades to the transport network in the area, which would include a new link road off the A421.
News stories
The Guardian - £500m of investment already promised from Government
Does Bedford want it? - story from April 2025
Universal also have a project website, which would be a main resource for any work done by teachers to shape a unit on the project.
This includes updates and other information, and useful diagrams such as this infographic
Image source: https://universalukproject.co.uk/
Updates
Will update this post as things occur, so that I can find the appropriate articles in order to write something eventually and get it out there once the construction starts in earnest and more details emerge.
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