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It’s on: Work on Universal theme park to go ahead after £6.3bn deal agreed
Rod Sweet Global Construction Review
Group’s first major European destination to create 8,000 construction jobs, including for road and rail upgrades.
The park’s name and logo were unveiled yesterday at 11 Downing Street, where chancellor Rachel Reeves and culture secretary Lisa Nandy hosted Brian Roberts, chairman of Comcast Corporation, and Mark Woodbury, chairman and chief executive of Universal Destinations & Experiences. Image: Comcast NBCUniversal
One of the biggest-ever investments in UK tourism has been agreed between the UK government and Comcast NBCUniversal to build a theme park and resort in Bedfordshire. The park, called the Universal United Kingdom Resort, will employ thousands and draw millions of visitors, said the developer.
Developed by the company’s Universal Destinations & Experiences unit, it’s the brand’s first major destination in the UK and Europe.
Universal will spend £5bn on the resort complex during the expected five years of construction and £1bn more over the first 10 years of operation.
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The government will support the project with an investment of £1.312bn for regional and local infrastructure to improve transport links.
Universal said construction will create nearly 20,000 jobs, while 8,000 people, mostly from Bedfordshire and the region, will be employed when the resort opens in 2031.
It expects the site to generate nearly £50bn worth of economic benefit for the economy by 2055.
The park’s name and logo were unveiled yesterday at 11 Downing Street, where chancellor Rachel Reeves and culture secretary Lisa Nandy hosted Brian Roberts, chairman of Comcast Corporation, and Mark Woodbury, chairman and chief executive of Universal Destinations & Experiences.
“The package announced today is likely to be one of the most significant investments made in the United Kingdom during this parliament,” a joint statement from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and HM Treasury said.
Around 100 people are now doing enabling works on site.
What taxpayers are paying for
The £1.312bn comprises grants of £400m from the Regional Growth Fund and £438m from DCMS for infrastructure, to be disbursed only when Universal has completed the community infrastructure (in the case of the DCMS grant) and opened the park.
Completing the government’s contribution, the Department for Transport will spend £474m upgrading road and rail – the A421 and Wixams station.
“This unparalleled investment is a huge vote of confidence in the UK and puts rocket boosters under our entertainment industry,” said Nandy.
Reeves said: “This landmark investment in the heart of the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor will unlock nearly £50bn of economic growth and create tens of thousands of jobs across Bedfordshire in construction, hospitality, creative and technology sectors.”
Comcast chair Brian Roberts said: “This historic partnership is a special moment for our company as we bring our first Universal theme park and resort to Europe.”
The government and Comcast reached their investment agreement in principle in April last year.
On 15 December 2025, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government granted planning permission for the theme park and resort, and associated development at the former brickworks and adjoining land at Kempston Hardwick, Bedford. This came into force on 12 January this year.
