Universal Great Britain - Speculation & Rumors

[tommyhawkins]

I don't think they have purchased any land to the south, even though there was a large parcel available (another former brickworks I believe). To me that suggests they've decided they don't need anything beyond what they already purchased or have an option on.

I’d probably agree with you, but I don’t think that’s how Bedford sees it. Part of the land acquired by Universal had previously been identified by Bedford Council as a location for a new residential settlement. Since Universal’s purchase of that land, the Council has been in discussion with them to determine the extent to which residential development on the site might contribute to Bedford’s housing targets. It might be that the contribution is zero homes, there doesn’t seem to be any information which has leaked out on that. But we do know the discussion has been taking place.

Since theres lots of chat about land ownership, and talk about housing etc. Rob im not sure what youre referring to, since Harworth project is going ahead, and the other on quest pit went bunkrupt and is dicussion for sale. Personally I would buy quest pits and build something like they have done at Catchlight crossings if i was universal

the obvious target for land acquisition is the area near the new train station, as the area north of manor road is only really big enough for hotels and a rutlantica style waterpark. if you know any of the other land ownership please tell me

 

[Altonsky]

Is the option of buying the land that the lakes sit on an option? That way they’d have indirect access to another station and potentially one or both of the lakes could be filled in? That then makes the whole of that area a lot more workable.

 

[rob@rar]

Since theres lots of chat about land ownership, and talk about housing etc. Rob im not sure what youre referring to, since Harworth project is going ahead, and the other on quest pit went bunkrupt and is dicussion for sale.

The land I referred to that I think Universal might have purchased if they felt they needed it was the parcel now owned by Harworth (it’s referenced earlier in this thread). I might be wrong, but I think prior to Harworth buying that land it was owned by Cloud Wing (or one of the related companies), and was being marketed by them for development at the same time as they were promoting the land which Universal did buy. If that plot of land was available but Universal didn’t buy it, I’d guess that Universal are content that they have all the space they need (which is very considerable).

In terms of housing, look at Bedford Council’s correspondence with the National Planning Inspectorate regarding Bedford’s Borough Local Plan 2040. The Council have had/are having discussions with Universal regarding the possibility of residential housing being built on the land now owned by Universal. I don’t think there have been any public statements or references in Bedford’s planning reports whether this will happen, but it’s something the Council has raised with Universal.

PS: nice to see you contributing to this thread again.

 

[yepthatguy]

Since theres lots of chat about land ownership, and talk about housing etc. Rob im not sure what youre referring to, since Harworth project is going ahead, and the other on quest pit went bunkrupt and is dicussion for sale. Personally I would buy quest pits and build something like they have done at Catchlight crossings if i was universal

the obvious target for land acquisition is the area near the new train station, as the area north of manor road is only really big enough for hotels and a rutlantica style waterpark. if you know any of the other land ownership please tell me

Great image, you should make the houses between Quest Pit and Harworth marked as “Air BnB / Residential”.

I think they are freehold properties built in the last 10-15 years mixed in with the original Stewartby village to the right.

 

[BBPH]

I think we’ve pretty much always figured the hotel would sit over the park entrance, but the trademark including Class 43 (Hotels) makes me fairly confident we’ll be seeing something similar to Beijing’s setup, probably with “Universal Studios” in the name.

 

[yepthatguy]

I think we’ve pretty much always figured the hotel would sit over the park entrance, but the trademark including Class 43 (Hotels) makes me fairly confident we’ll be seeing something similar to Beijing’s setup, probably with “Universal Studios” in the name.

Do you think that they might come up with something brand new perhaps?

 

[JT01]

also looking at that map there doesn't seem to be much workable land for a potential second gate park?

 

[rob@rar]

also looking at that map there doesn't seem to be much workable land for a potential second gate park?

Perhaps it will always be a one-gate resort?

 

[BBPH]

also looking at that map there doesn't seem to be much workable land for a potential second gate park?

We may never get one but there absolutely is, @tommyhawkins work:

What ended up being the actual layout, with the car park on the absolute south of the plot surprised a few of us. If we were going for a second gate one day you would have expected the hub to be more central.

Do you think that they might come up with something brand new perhaps?

I’d assume so, different layout, different size but I’m undecided if an old Hollywood theme is interesting with the European market.

 

[JT01]

We may never get one but there absolutely is, @tommyhawkins work:

What ended up being the actual layout, with the car park on the absolute south of the plot surprised a few of us. If we were going for a second gate one day you would have expected the hub to be more central.




I’d assume so, different layout, different size but I’m undecided if an old Hollywood theme is interesting with the European market.

Wow, I’ve never seen these before! This seems like a much better use of space compared to the initial proposal. But they are the experts, so I trust they know what they’re doing. I’m curious about the land size for this compared to Beijing’s resort, especially since they’re being compared so often. I think I came across some rumors suggesting there might be a second gate at that resort, though it could have just been speculation

 

[rob@rar]

I think I came across some rumors suggesting there might be a second gate at that resort, though it could have just been speculation

Universal’s indicative master plan for the site has space earmarked for theme park expansion (to the south of the proposed theme park) but in scale it looks more like large expansion pads rather than 2nd-gate size.

 

[xtpower]

The Lake parcel is bigger than the actual parcel earmarked for the actual Park. It's shape is very misleading, but it is very much big enough for a second gate they just might get creative with the layout and incorporation of the nature reserved areas - if they are so inclined.

 

[rob@rar]

Since theres lots of chat about land ownership, and talk about housing etc. Rob im not sure what youre referring to, since Harworth project is going ahead, and the other on quest pit went bunkrupt and is dicussion for sale. Personally I would buy quest pits and build something like they have done at Catchlight crossings if i was universal

the obvious target for land acquisition is the area near the new train station, as the area north of manor road is only really big enough for hotels and a rutlantica style waterpark. if you know any of the other land ownership please tell me

The 150 acres you’ve marked with unknown ownership is currently owned by O&H Land, a residential property developer. The land is, or was, being promoted by Varsity Town Planning as residential housing within Bedford Council’s Local Plan.

 

[JT01]

i cant imagine they would stick a housing estate right in the middle of the resort now

 

[ProjectUniversal]

Since theres lots of chat about land ownership, and talk about housing etc. Rob im not sure what youre referring to, since Harworth project is going ahead, and the other on quest pit went bunkrupt and is dicussion for sale. Personally I would buy quest pits and build something like they have done at Catchlight crossings if i was universal

the obvious target for land acquisition is the area near the new train station, as the area north of manor road is only really big enough for hotels and a rutlantica style waterpark. if you know any of the other land ownership please tell me

To answer your unknowns, the land to the left of Quest pit is owned by Arnold White estates and their ownership also extends with a thin strip to the right alongside the railway line where the dirt track is and then up alongside Stewartby Way to the main road.

The land between Wootton and the Theme Park is owned by Q&H Q7 Limited and was destined to be an education campus but that never got planning so its just a farmers field right now.

Q&H Q7 along with some other holding companies that are owned by the same guys that sold Cloud Wing to Universal own the majority of the fields all the way up to the M1 Junction 13.

The large lake to the north of the north site is owned by the same guys who owned Cloud Wing. Universal will have to, probably already have at the very least purchased a slither of land near the cottages on Manor Road because those houses I predict will be knocked down to straighten Manor Road and the land between the houses and the straight part of Manor Road is owned by the original Cloud Wing directors via a seperate company.

And while we are here, the pit where you have put your watermark is owned by Q&H Q7 Limited as it the little farm to the south of that pit (Broadmead Farm) and further south still along the road, is the abandoned Randals Farm education centre which is also owned by Q&H Q7 Limited so expect to see that devoloped should this go ahead.

(They are actually North East from the lake but the maps wonky.)

 

[JT01]

I appreciate the explanation but I have no idea looking at the map each area your explaining lol

 

[Altonsky]

To answer your unknowns, the land to the left of Quest pit is owned by Arnold White estates and their ownership also extends with a thin strip to the right alongside the railway line where the dirt track is and then up alongside Stewartby Way to the main road.

The land between Wootton and the Theme Park is owned by Q&H Q7 Limited and was destined to be an education campus but that never got planning so its just a farmers field right now.

Q&H Q7 along with some other holding companies that are owned by the same guys that sold Cloud Wing to Universal own the majority of the fields all the way up to the M1 Junction 13.

The large lake to the north of the north site is owned by the same guys who owned Cloud Wing. Universal will have to, probably already have at the very least purchased a slither of land near the cottages on Manor Road because those houses I predict will be knocked down to straighten Manor Road and the land between the houses and the straight part of Manor Road is owned by the original Cloud Wing directors via a seperate company.

And while we are here, the pit where you have put your watermark is owned by Q&H Q7 Limited as it the little farm to the south of that pit (Broadmead Farm) and further south still along the road, is the abandoned Randals Farm education centre which is also owned by Q&H Q7 Limited so expect to see that devoloped should this go ahead.

(They are actually North East from the lake but the maps wonky.)

Do you work for the Land Registry?

 

[ProjectUniversal]

Do you work for the Land Registry?

No but ive done more research on this place that ill ever need in my lifetime.

 

[JT01]

No but ive done more research on this place that ill ever need in my lifetime.

maybe a drone footage video explaining the fields and land you mentioned, as it seems we are all confused about who owns what.

 

[tommyhawkins]

To answer your unknowns, the land to the left of Quest pit is owned by Arnold White estates and their ownership also extends with a thin strip to the right alongside the railway line where the dirt track is and then up alongside Stewartby Way to the main road.

The land between Wootton and the Theme Park is owned by Q&H Q7 Limited and was destined to be an education campus but that never got planning so its just a farmers field right now.

Q&H Q7 along with some other holding companies that are owned by the same guys that sold Cloud Wing to Universal own the majority of the fields all the way up to the M1 Junction 13.

The large lake to the north of the north site is owned by the same guys who owned Cloud Wing. Universal will have to, probably already have at the very least purchased a slither of land near the cottages on Manor Road because those houses I predict will be knocked down to straighten Manor Road and the land between the houses and the straight part of Manor Road is owned by the original Cloud Wing directors via a seperate company.

And while we are here, the pit where you have put your watermark is owned by Q&H Q7 Limited as it the little farm to the south of that pit (Broadmead Farm) and further south still along the road, is the abandoned Randals Farm education centre which is also owned by Q&H Q7 Limited so expect to see that devoloped should this go ahead.

(They are actually North East from the lake but the maps wonky.)

thanks, very informative.

I know everyone was hanging their hat on what they said on the website about a SDO, but all signs so far lead to what I concluded when we dropped the story that they would persue building the resort via an NSIP, and right now they seem to be holding out announcing until Labour make meaningful changes to the consent process that speeds it up, otherwise it is very long. Part of the reason an NSIP makes more sense is essentially they can mop up these pockets of land as compulsory purchases cite "We need that for phase 2" and they get everything they want and avoid situations like they have in the states where you have someone else building a hotel on their doorstep for example. There is absolutely no way Uni are muddling their way through a planning process without a masterplan for expansion, they have great ambitions to hit huge numbers of visitors equal to a resort with two parks