Mayor confident Universal theme park will deliver

Mayor of Bedford Tom Wootton said the project would bring "huge opportunities" to the area

A mayor has said he is confident that the proposed Universal Studios theme park will be delivered with government backing.

Bedford borough councillors voted to unanimously support the project at a meeting on Thursday night.

The US entertainment giant has already submitted a planning application to build what would be its first European resort, set across as much as 268 hectares, at the former Kempston Hardwick brickworks near the town.

The Conservative Mayor of Bedford Tom Wootton said the atmosphere at the council meeting was "wonderful".

"The mood in the chamber was really excited and councillors were agreeing with each other across parties," said Wootton.

Travel concerns

If approved, Universal said the theme park would generate nearly £50bn of economic benefit and create 28,000 jobs

The mayor acknowledged there were concerns that roughly eight million annual visitors to the resort could overwhelm local roads.

But he insisted that both ministers and Universal had a clear interest in preventing gridlocked traffic in the borough.

Planned upgrades to the transport network would include new roads off the A421, he said, which will likely be the main access link for visitors

There would also be a larger four-platform station at Wixams, which he said would be "a bit more like St Pancras" to cope with demand.

"You don't arrive at a theme park calm and relaxed if you have spent an hour in a traffic jam," he admitted.

"[Universal want guests to feel] at ease on holiday from the minute they get off the aeroplane."

Universal has claimed the park will generate nearly £50bn of economic benefit and create 28,000 jobs by 2055.

Housing and growth

Wootton acknowledged that "the stress on the housing market would come" but said he was confident the area would cope.

"Hopefully it won't be as bad as some of the naysayers have said," added Wootton.

The Generation Rent campaign group has said it is worried that the influx of workers will drive up property and rent prices.

He told the BBC that the authority was "building lots and lots of houses" and said he was "fairly sure that rents should not be rising."

A developer wants to build 5,000 homes at Marston Valley close to the theme park.

However, some homes are subject to compulsory purchase orders, and one resident has said he and neighbours "seem to be forgotten".

Noise concerns

The park is due to open in 2031, and when it does, up to 95 major events are expected to take place at the resort each year.

Wootton said the site's location between the A421 and a railway line meant it was "quite noisy anyway" and argued that the impact could be managed.

He added the development had "an awful lot of ground" close to it, arguing there would be significant distance from nearby homes.

A public consultation on the plans runs until August 31 and the final decision on the proposals will be made by the government.