The government has granted planning permission to build a Universal Studios theme park between Milton Keynes and Bedford.
Approval has been given the Universal Studios’ owner Comcast to build a theme park on land in the Kempston Hardwick area on the outskirts of Bedford.
A decision backed by Steve Reed, the government’s Secretary for Housing, Communities and Local Government, was confirmed earlier today (16/12).
Under the terms of the approval, a Special Development Order (SDO) has been granted for the project, which would go live from 12 January 2026 and which allows direct government approval rather than the use of normal local planning procedures. From 12 January, a statutory review of the proposals by Parliament must be completed.
The order grants planning permission for a 268 hectare site to be turned into an Entertainment Resort Complex, with the proposal including improvements to nearby road and rail links. Comcast intends for the theme park to be open by 2031.
In a statement, the Universal Studios UK project said, “The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has approved our request for planning permission to be granted by way of making a Special Development Order (SDO).
“While there are still further steps to complete, including a statutory parliamentary review period, this decision represents another important milestone for the project.”
The government previously announced in April that they would be supporting the proposals.
Among people praising the decision were Mohammad Yasin, the MP for Bedford and Kempston.
Yasin said, “Absolutely delighted to share with you that Universal Studios has got the green light – the Special Development Order has been granted and comes into force on the 12 January.”
Tom Wootton, Mayor of Bedford Borough Council, said, “I’d love to take all the credit for this – but I can’t! This is the result of so much hard work by so many people, and it will be something that has a huge, positive impact on countless lives even when I’m long forgotten. It’s one of the proudest moments of my political life.
“This is a huge vote of confidence in Bedford and Kempston, in the borough and region, and in the Council. This is the perfect place for this investment, well-connected, full of talent, and ready to grow. I know that our residents and businesses will seize all the opportunities that this will offer us, and I’ll work with Universal night and day to ensure our partnership can continue to bloom.”
Plans to build the multi-billion pound site have circulated for around two years, with the proposals first being revealed in late 2023 that Universal were considering building the theme park on the site of a former brickworks near to Kempston and Stewartby, just to the south-west of Bedford and the north-east of Milton Keynes. The site is intended to be the international theme park brand’s first major location in Europe.
Proposed parts of the project include a 500-room hotel, a retail, dining and entertainment complex and several exhibitions, rides and attractions themed around Hollywood film and TV show properties.
Universal have said that the project would see it become one of the region’s largest employers, creating 20,000 construction jobs and 8,000 permanent positions once the theme park is operational, with the company intending for approximately 80% of all jobs at the site to go to local workers. They have also said the proposals would deliver economic benefits in excess of £50 billion during construction and its first 20 years of operation.
In July, it was announced the government was planning multiple transport plans for the area around the site. Proposals announced include upgrades to the adjacent A421 road, a new railway station at Wixams on the Midland Main Line that connects Bedford with the East Midlands, Luton and London, and an upgraded railway station at Stewartby on the East West Rail route that is being planned to link Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge.
Milton Keynes City Council have announced that they will receive £4.7 million in government funding to encourage more walking, wheeling, and cycling in the local area.
The funding comes from Active Travel England and will be received over the next four years. MK City Council highlighted it has received the funding after showing a strong performance in the area, including investment in cycling programmes in schools and other initiatives.
Each council’s funding is based on how successful they are in promoting active travel alongside population size. Councils with higher capability ratings receive greater funding support, and Milton Keynes City Council’s track record has helped to unlock this significant funding boost.
The investment will support a range of projects, including:
- Increased expansion of our redway network and improving redway safety
- Continued bike training for all school children in Milton Keynes
- Installation of additional secure cycle parking across the city
- Support to grow local walking, wheeling, and cycling groups and events
The additional funding will also help the Council to continue supporting more schools to develop travel plans like Cold Harbour and Two Mile Ash primary schools, who both recently won national awards for their significant success in reducing car use and congestion around the school gates by getting more pupils walking, wheeling and cycling to school.
Councillor Jennifer Wilson-Marklew, Cabinet Member for Transport, said, “I’m delighted that we’ve received this extra funding to help us continue building on our success in embracing cycling and walking alongside other forms of transport, especially as we’ve secured more funding because of our strong track record of delivery. This means we can make it easier for people to choose sustainable transport for their shorter journeys’.”
The funding is part of a £626 million national programme to help local authorities deliver walking, wheeling, and cycling schemes that improve road safety, offer greener transport options, and promote healthier communities.
Paul Warne said he felt a point was fair for MK Dons after a 1-1 draw with Cambridge United in which he felt the two sides looked tired.
The Dons boss reflected on a 1-1 draw at Stadium MK in which Callum Paterson had put the hosts in front before Sullay Kaikai’s equaliser.
Reflecting afterwards, Warne said he felt it was a tight game between two sides who have played a lot of football in quick succession.
“It just looked, and this is my eyes – I don’t dispute that people have different views, but it just looked like two sets of tired bodies at the end of the game. It was a pretty close match, and one we would’ve liked to have gone on to win.”
He later went on to say, “Today, it was probably two good teams cancelling each other out while breathing very heavily in the last ten minutes. That’s sort of my very basic reflection of the game.”
Warne said that he felt they were going to be tested against a Cambridge side in decent form, and that he ultimately felt that Neil Harris’ side gave him a good test.
He said, “In fairness to Cambridge, they kept coming at us. They’re obviously in confident form like us. I felt reasonably comfortable first half, took the lead, good goal, had a couple of other chances but it just didn’t feel like we had as much control in this game as we’ve had in other games. That’s a testament to how Cambridge played and made it difficult for us.
“We took a couple of injuries in the first half, which is never ideal as it reduces what you can do in the second half. That was a problem. We changed the shape thinking it would give us more ascendancy at the top of the pitch, and we’d be able to pass our way out of it, but we didn’t. That’s the truth.
“The pressure mounted, we made some unforced errors on the ball to a certain extent and their only shot on the goal in the second half went in. It was a screamer, but it was avoidable. Then we had chances in the second half to get that goal that we didn’t take.”
With defensive injuries, Warne pivoted from his more recently used tactic with a back 3 to a back 4 after the break, but Warne said he felt the approach didn’t quite work as hoped for.
He said, “Whatever system we played, you just don’t know. After the event, you think if we could’ve stayed the way we were, but the way we were, I didn’t think we ended the half too comfortable and there were a couple of incidents where there were 3 centre halves against one. It felt like we were wasting a player and we weren’t retaining the ball in the final third. So I thought by being more aggressive on how we play, we would pick out passes.
“We started the second half really well and created the best chance of the game, and you could argue we limited them to one shot, so you can’t say it’s the shape’s fault. But I have to take responsibility. It’s the way I pick and changed the team. It’s our job as coaches that when we come under the cosh, we can show a bit more courage.”
A man in Milton Keynes has been arrested today (16/12) in connection with terrorism offences.
A 23-year-old man from Bletchley was arrested on suspicion of being a member of a proscribed organisation, and on suspicion of supporting a proscribed organisation, contrary to sections 11 and 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
The arrest was carried out by Counter Terrorism Policing South East (CTPSE) officers with support from the locally based Thames Valley Police. It’s been confirmed that this relates to membership and support of the terrorist group ISIL.
Chief Superintendent Emma Baillie, Thames Valley Police’s Local Command Unit Commander for Milton Keynes, said, “I appreciate arrests of this nature can cause some concern in the local area however this was a pre-planned operation and part of ongoing work carried out to keep our communities safe from the threat of terrorism.
“Search activity is ongoing at a residential property in Bletchley and so people living locally may notice an increased police presence while this takes place.
“If you have any concerns or information you think is relevant, please speak to an officer in the area.”
The arrested man is currently in police custody.
MK Dons’ FA Cup Third Round tie against Championship side Oxford United has been selected for streaming coverage by Discovery+.
The Third Round tie at Stadium MK is one of 14 ties chosen for exclusive coverage by the streaming service affiliated with TNT Sport.
The match will take place as a 7:30pm kick-off on Friday 9 January 2026, with the match one of 4 ties taking place at this time.
Discovery+ will also be broadcasting Preston v Wigan and Port Vale v Fleetwood, while the streaming platform will also be simultaneously broadcasting the tie between Wrexham and Nottingham Forest, which was chosen by TNT Sports.
Oxford United currently sit 22nd in the Championship, with the U’s entering the FA Cup in the Third Round as one of the 44 Premier League and Championship sides to enter the competition at this stage. A noteworthy figure in the U’s team for Dons fans is goalkeeper Jamie Cumming, who previously played for MK Dons in two loan spells in 2022 and 2023 before joining Oxford in 2023.
MK Dons last faced Oxford in an EFL Trophy tie in September 2023, with Oxford’s last visit to Stadium MK coming in a League One match in February 2023, in a game that finished as a 1-1 draw.
Paul Warne’s side booked their place in the Third Round with a 3-1 home win over fellow League 2 side Oldham Athletic, having beaten Colchester United in the previous round. The match will be the Dons’ first time in the FA Cup Third Round since the 2020/21 season, while they are aiming to reach the Fourth Round for the first time since the 2017/18 campaign.
