The attraction, set to be constructed on the positioning of the previous Kempston Hardwick brickworks close to Bedford, is predicted to create about 28,000 jobs.
Universal, which is owned by Sky Information’s US mum or dad firm Comcast, estimates that 8.5 million individuals will go to the 476-acre resort in its first yr. Common expects the attraction to generate practically £50 billion for the UK economic system by 2055, with 8.5 million guests in its first yr.
The corporate’s multi-billion-pound funding will “see Bedford house to one of many largest leisure parks in Europe, firmly placing the county on the worldwide stage,” Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated.
In line with Common Locations and Experiences, about 80 per cent of latest jobs created will probably be stuffed by individuals from Bedfordshire and the encircling areas. The theme park is predicted to generate employment in tourism, construction and even the AI sector.
Though Spain’s PortAventura resort was beforehand co-branded with Common, this new UK web site is ready to turn out to be the primary Common theme park in Europe developed totally from scratch.
Building is anticipated to start in 2026, after an in depth planning proposal is submitted to the Authorities.
There are 5 Common theme parks worldwide: Orlando, Hollywood, Japan, Beijing and Singapore. Common’s Hollywood resort attracted 9.66 million guests in 2023, whereas the Orlando web site welcomed 9.75 million, in response to the Theme Index Report.
What’s going to the UK’s Common theme park and resort appear like?
Common Locations & Experiences has proposed a theme park, a retail centre and a 500-room lodge.
Common has already bought 476 acres of land on the former brickworks web site and will purchase extra to broaden the mission to round 700 acres, permitting for improved transport hyperlinks and infrastructure.
Whereas Common says it’s “nonetheless too early” to substantiate which rides and sights will characteristic on the UK park, some clues come from its most up-to-date resort in Beijing. This options rides such because the Transformers Megabase Decepticoaster, the Minions-themed Loop-Dee Doop-Dee and the Kung Fu Panda Land of Awesomeness.
Guests can seemingly anticipate sights impressed by famend Common franchises equivalent to Jurassic Park, Jaws and Despicable Me.
Common has additionally introduced plans to construct a brand new railway station on the East West Rail railway line close to the resort and improve Wixams station. There are additionally proposals to assemble devoted slip roads for the A421, which was affected by flooding final October.
The big-scale improvement has not but obtained planning permission, however has garnered sturdy backing from native authorities officers.
UK’s first Common theme park and resort reality field
- The proposed opening date of Common Studios’ first European theme park is 2031.
- It would embody a retail centre and a 500-room lodge.
- Work is predicted to start in 2026.
- 476 acres of the previous brickworks web site in Bedford are to be reworked, which is empty and derelict.
- 8.5 million guests are anticipated within the first yr of opening.
- The estimated enhance to the UK economic system might attain £50bn over 20 years.
- 20,000 jobs will probably be created throughout the development interval. 80 per cent of those staff are set to come back from Bedfordshire and the encircling space.
Tradition Secretary Lisa Nandy credited the Authorities’s dedication to bettering native transport infrastructure as a key purpose the deal might progress.
Mike Cavanagh, president of Comcast Company, stated: “We couldn’t be extra excited to take this essential step in our plan to create and ship an unimaginable Common theme park and resort within the coronary heart of the UK, which enhances our rising US-based parks enterprise by increasing our international footprint to Europe.
“We admire the management and assist of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Minister for Funding Poppy Gustafsson, Tradition Secretary Lisa Nandy and their groups, as we work collectively to create and ship a incredible new landmark vacation spot.”
