Universal Great Britain - Speculation & Rumors

[Jake S]

ie, Is there a website similar to the uk one with information on timelines but for the Kids park in Frisco??

To a degree, yes. Here's one site: Frisco News - Universal Destinations & Experiences

 

[yepthatguy]

To a degree, yes. Here's one site: Frisco News - Universal Destinations & Experiences

Thanks that’s great, much appreciated.

 

[masekwm]

I took a walk around the "Lake Zone" yesterday, I ended up very lost, it is a huge piece of land

 

[Altonsky]

Maybe after tomorrows budget?

 

[Scott W.]

This has been one quick year so far.

 

[yepthatguy]

15° in Bedford still today. It’s been a very mild October!! Great day for theme parking!!

 

[Doug88]

If this doesn't go ahead I doubt I'd ever visit another theme park in my life. I'm bored of Alton Towers and I can't travel long haul anymore so doubt I could make Orlando.

 

[Altonsky]

Nothing mentioned in her speech.

Unless there’s something in the final details that will be published and will start coming out later today then there’s no news today.

Extra things are always in the finer details that come out later so that may be the case here, or it may not

 

[rob@rar]

In the Budget Report the government noted that the first East West Rail services will will be operational from next year, and services from Oxford to Bedford will be operational from 2030. That might be well timed...

 

[Altonsky]

In the Budget Report the government noted that the first East West Rail services will will be operational from next year, and services from Oxford to Bedford will be operational from 2030. That might be well timed...

Is that the additional info released after her speech?

 

[rob@rar]

Is tha

Is that the additional info released after her speech?

Yeah, I'm going through the 'Budget bundle' now. It's on the HM Treasury website and gets released the moment the Chancellor sits down.

 

[Lost Meerkat]

The only thing I can find is the commitment to East West Rail, and the acceleration of the MK to Bedford section, along with a November consultation on the next stage to Cambridge. I could not find anything more on the search terms of Bedford or Universal, but it is a long document with lots of small print.

 

[Lost Meerkat]

The only thing I can find is the commitment to East West Rail, and the acceleration of the MK to Bedford section, along with a November consultation on the next stage to Cambridge. I could not find anything more on the search terms of Bedford or Universal, but it is a long document with lots of small print.

170 pages......

 

[bedfordmassive]

Soooooo, guess I was wrong.

 

[yepthatguy]

Now the UK budget has happened, I can imagine Universal not wanting to be mentioned in things like the budget, and the investment summit.

After all, it was all top secret until some super sleuths worked it all out. As it turns out, 2+ years of top secret-ness.

I’m now thinking they will announce the yes / no themselves, in their own time, to separate themselves as much as possible from government without causing the government issues.

Just my view.

 

[Lost Meerkat]

Now the UK budget has happened, I can imagine Universal not wanting to be mentioned in things like the budget, and the investment summit.

After all, it was all top secret until some super sleuths worked it all out. As it turns out, 2+ years of top secret-ness.

I’m now thinking they will announce the yes / no themselves, in their own time, to separate themselves as much as possible from government without causing the government issues.

Just my view.

Listening to the budget today, I could not see an opportunity to talk about investment that involved a theme park, I think they may have thought it a bit frivolous sounding when it was mixed in with NHS, armed forces, Cambridge bio sciences, etc. I think it may be something that will be trundled out in due course as a bit of "good news" I was hoping it would be hidden in the main document somewhere, as things often are, clearly neither I nor Rob@rar were able to spot anything.

The only ray of hope is that the acceleration of the East West line to Bedford may be an indication that they want to get it done and sorted. I am just concerned about Wixams getting too far ahead before it needs to become four platforms..

 

[rob@rar]

I think it may be something that will be trundled out in due course as a bit of "good news" I was hoping it would be hidden in the main document somewhere, as things often are, clearly neither I nor Rob@rar were able to spot anything.

I thought there was a very slim chance of a passing mention in the Chancellor’s speech as an example of Labour’s growth agenda, using innovative planning laws and modest public investment to leverage a large direct foreign investment with major long term returns. But only a slim chance. But I didn’t expect to see a direct reference to Universal’s plans in the Budget bundle as in the grand scheme of things it’s pretty small beer. I suspect that the Department of Transport’s budget will have space for infrastructure (we’ve already highlighted the East West Rail commitment, and I’d guess there will be similar allowance made for a enhanced Wixams rail station, road infrastructure around the A421, etc). But none of that is large enough to be spelled out explicitly in today’s announcements.

The next steps that we will see I think are a government consultation to statutory bodies and other stakeholders on Universal’s broad planning application and specifically on the environmental impact statement (which I believe the government is obliged to consult on). This will be one more sign that we can be confident that things are progressing. Perhaps the next step will then be the Government tabling in Parliament the Statutory Instrument which contains the Special Development Order (which I guess will be early next year).

I’m not expecting a big public confirmation by Universal for some time yet. I think we should look to how they handled the annoucement of Epic Universe for clues on what they might do for Bedford - everyone knew it was coming and groundwork was already well in hand before the Comcast bigwigs, Florida Governor and the Orlando Mayor were used to front the ‘Big Annoucement’. I think that might well be what we have for USGB. All the signs that we have seen so far indicate everything is on track, and Universal and the government are just working through the process. Nothing we have seen indicates a major problem which is going to stop this thing happening. So I think we can be very confident the park will open in 2030 or 2031. We might not have the hoopla of a public announcement from Comcast or Universal for several months, but I no longer think it’s necessary to wait for that announcement before I start planning my outfit for Opening Day.

 

[rob@rar]

I had this plot of land as the additional space that Universal said they had an option on. Perhaps I was wrong, or perhaps Universal have decided they won’t pick up the option?

https://www.bedfordtoday.co.uk/news/people/former-brickworks-site-at-stewartby-sells-with-ps400m-development-potential-for-1000-homes-4846590

 

[extrobeiuf]

I had this plot of land as the additional space that Universal said they had an option on. Perhaps I was wrong, or perhaps Universal have decided they won’t pick up the option?

https://www.bedfordtoday.co.uk/news/people/former-brickworks-site-at-stewartby-sells-with-ps400m-development-potential-for-1000-homes-4846590

No, I think the plot they have options on is the plot to the South East, between the core plot and the A421, and is where they would build the A421 spur into the resort.

Edit: See Page 2 of this PDF for the scope, which includes the plot they have options on. The larger brickwork plot isn't in scope, and doesn't appear to have ever been, so no change to be concerned about

https://universalukproject.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/UniversalUKProject.InformationPack.April-2024.pdf

 

[Doug88]

No, I think the plot they have options on is the plot to the South East, between the core plot and the A421, and is where they would build the A421 spur into the resort.

Edit: See Page 2 of this PDF for the scope, which includes the plot they have options on. The larger brickwork plot isn't in scope, and doesn't appear to have ever been, so no change to be concerned about

https://universalukproject.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/UniversalUKProject.InformationPack.April-2024.pdf

I was mocked for saying they are waiting for the price of land to go up so they could sell for housing and make a few quid.