Universal Great Britain

[rob@rar]

Can someone give me a little TLDR on why we are talking June, anyway? I thought autumn was when they said they would communicate their final decision on whether to proceed.

The only reference I’ve seen to a June decision is a comment made in a report by a council officer to one of the local Parish councils. There might be other suggestions about a decision in June, but I’d don’t think they have been described in this thread.

 

[Luke Hutchinson]

The only reference I’ve seen to a June decision is a comment made in a report by a council officer to one of the local Parish councils. There might be other suggestions about a decision in June, but I’d don’t think they have been described in this thread.

That was essentially all it was right? A Councillor for one of the surrounding areas mentioned that there was talk of building a park in Bedford and that a “Go, No Go” would be given in June

 

[rob@rar]

That was essentially all it was right? A Councillor for one of the surrounding areas mentioned that there was talk of building a park in Bedford and that a “Go, No Go” would be given in June

There might be other sources, although to be honest I’ve never been 100% persuaded about a final decision in June as the basis for that rumour seems a bit shaky, unless there’s something else we can rely on?

 

[Alicia]

I’ve been reading it as internal decision in June, (which lined up with rumors I had heard,) but I don’t see them announcing anything until they’re actively getting permits for work related to the project (and not just transportation prep or land quality testing).

I was HOPING someone in local government would accidentally slip up and say something publicly. But so far we haven’t see it. Universal doesn’t have to announce anything for a bit though.

 

[yepthatguy]

Doug has been excellent for the popcorn tonight.

 

[rob@rar]

I’ve been reading it as internal decision in June, (which lined up with rumors I had heard,) but I don’t see them announcing anything until they’re actively getting permits for work related to the project (and not just transportation prep or land quality testing).

I was HOPING someone in local government would accidentally slip up and say something publicly. But so far we haven’t see it. Universal doesn’t have to announce anything for a bit though.

The point at which Universal submit a planning application to the government (if they wish to proceed with a Special Development Order) should provide proof that they have confirmed their decision to proceed. The planning application will include Universal’s Environmental Statement on the impact of their proposals. Under current legislation the government will have to consult with interested parties, including those organisations such as Natural England which must be consulted by statute, and make the Environmental Statement available to the public. I had this confirmed by Michael Gove’s office recently.

I don’t think that the Environmental Statement will provide much insight in to the details of the development, for that other sources of info (or Universal itself) will eventually have to do. So there won’t be much to quell our thirst for details for months, at least, in my opinion. Of course, the new government might take a different approach to planning permission compared to the outgoing Ministers, so we might be back to square one on that side of things, only time will tell. In any case I can’t see that Universal will have prepared the ground with the new Ministerial teams before the autumn so I don’t think we’ll see a formal planning application until October at the earliest. Perhaps before then there’ll be confirmation from other sources of a go/no-go decision?

 

[Steeb]

Yes that is my honest opinion. Think about everything else that's happened. For example people building sky scrapers in the centre of London. Admiralty Arch turning into a hotel. They happen because they want it to happen with no messing about.

If this was going to happen Universal and Comcast would have came out and said by now. They've done the testing and spoke to politicians and they haven't committed. This means it's not happening.

They are stringing this out so the value of the land increases then they can sell at a profit.

When someone's watched a few too many episodes of The Apprentice on iPlayer...

 

[extrobeiuf]

I know I'm stating the obvious for many, but think it's worth calling out;
Whilst certainly, Universal will need sign-off from Comcast, it's not like the Comcast board isn't going to already be very aware of this project / what Universal are asking for.
Generally speaking, by the time you go to the board for 'sign off', you would already have everyone agreed-in-principle, and signoff is merely a formality.
Things can certainly come up at the last minute that blocks a project, but you don't go asking for $10bn if you 1) haven't already warmed them up about it, 2) aren't confident they'll say yes.

 

[Doug88]

I know I'm stating the obvious for many, but think it's worth calling out;
Whilst certainly, Universal will need sign-off from Comcast, it's not like the Comcast board isn't going to already be very aware of this project / what Universal are asking for.
Generally speaking, by the time you go to the board for 'sign off', you would already have everyone agreed-in-principle, and signoff is merely a formality.
Things can certainly come up at the last minute that blocks a project, but you don't go asking for $10bn if you 1) haven't already warmed them up about it, 2) aren't confident they'll say yes.

Or it could be they've spent £270 million on land which is now probably worth double that and can make a quick profit to balance the books.

 

[bedfordmassive]

Or it could be they've spent £270 million on land which is now probably worth double that and can make a quick profit to balance the books.

Why would it be worth double?

 

[xtpower]

Why would it be worth double?

He's just pulling numbers from out of thin air. None of what he's said recently has any basis in logic or reality. If Universal truly had decided it's a 'no-go' and they wanted to sell off the land they certainly wouldn't be continuing the borehole drilling and archaelogical stuff.

It's starting to feel like he's trolling us at this point. I thought that the moment he posted about 'net zero' and outright stated it would lead to cars/trucks getting banned and the whole country falling into unemployment etc etc.

 

[Doug88]

Why would it be worth double?

They've done the testing on the land and if everything is good for building they can sell it too a developer for housing.

 

[bedfordmassive]

They've done the testing on the land and if everything is good for building they can sell it too a developer for housing.

They did archaeological dig etc on the land in 2019 too. That was already priced in.

 

[rob@rar]

It's starting to feel like he's trolling us at this point.

Me too.

 

[rob@rar]

… wanted to sell off the land they certainly wouldn't be continuing the borehole drilling and archaelogical stuff.

Universal are actively buying house on Manor Road. As I reported a few days ago, they are currently in the process of buying one of the cottages.

 

[Steeb]

Me too.

I wouldn't give them that much credit tbh. Usually people who troll come across a bit more logical with their button pushing than this.

This is more someone having a pessimistic gut feeling and then flailing when questioned on it. The worst part is if it doesn't go ahead for any actual legit reason, they will claim that they "called it". Good old internet.

 

[bedfordmassive]

Agree - don’t think troll.

The situation is that they have made a significant investment, the bits we’ve seen have run smoothly, there is ongoing activity, and it seems to be politically supported.

It’s not in the bag yet, though, and might not happen. There are many ways it could go wrong, and only some of those (e.g. overwhelming public hostility, lost city of Atlantis on site) have been put to bed. No extreme view that it will definitely happen or definitely not happen can be supported.

However, I’d argue that the balance of evidence points towards cautious optimism being a reasonable stance.

 

[Altonsky]

Or it could be they've spent £270 million on land which is now probably worth double that and can make a quick profit to balance the books.

Do you work for Merlin?

 

[Altonsky]

Universal are actively buying house on Manor Road. As I reported a few days ago, they are currently in the process of buying one of the cottages.

I wonder how much they’re being offered! To be a fly on the wall in those negotiations!

 

[IzzyB]

He's just pulling numbers from out of thin air. None of what he's said recently has any basis in logic or reality. If Universal truly had decided it's a 'no-go' and they wanted to sell off the land they certainly wouldn't be continuing the borehole drilling and archaelogical stuff.

It's starting to feel like he's trolling us at this point. I thought that the moment he posted about 'net zero' and outright stated it would lead to cars/trucks getting banned and the whole country falling into unemployment etc etc.

I think at this point it is best to just ignore. Because honestly most of his posts have zero fact or logic behind them and they are almost like bait to get everyone to argue with them. They are actively working on the land and June literally just started. Not to mention an announcement was never rumored only that a go/no-go would be done and then that would start the next phase of the project which is getting the paperwork together needed to submit to the UK government. The hope was a local official would slip up and state the decision.