Universal Studios Great Britain

Yeah, don't get too excited yet though...

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/dartford/news/london-resort-theme-park-will-still-be-built-vows-top-exec-298929/

What's JVS? And what's its reach?

The BBC did an article with mostly positive views but the dissenting voice was very close. The positives were coming form people in Ampthill, for example - who will face no disruption but be seen as local. I don't think many are appreciating how residential this area is and how much road development will be needed.

I feel sorry for Stewartby now, sandwiched between Covanta incinerator and all the disruption of the theme park build.

I think the plans include a hotel. Opposite my house is some land that was always meant to be a hotel and pub. Never any signs of activity on the mud.

I guess the big Premier Inn must be excited as I don't think it's ever full.

The 2 hours' journey to Stewartby probably doesn't factor in the permanent traffic jam that is the M1 junction 13.

Well you can see my house on those maps. How will my visitors stay in the local premier inn? All rooms will be booked. And prices will rise

My mum works at the local council and they are thinking council taxes will rise

They reckon the earliest it will open is 2030. I'll be 51 then, but will be there!

I've done Florida and California Universal parks before and think they're a good fit for the UK.

A lot of the rides are indoor, tech based rides,, including rollercoasters (The Mummy and Escape from Gringotts), which is important in a country that actually has a winter, unless they want to close down in the winter like the Merlin parks do (I'd really hope they were a 365 day park though).

They said in their presentation that location wise, a significant proportion of the UK population could get to the park within 2 hours.

We're 60 miles away and currently google tells me that we're 70 minutes away, so we'd definitely go there a lot.

I've been to the one in LA I wasn't too impressed but that's because it was mainly virtual experiences I like real rollercoasters.

Those that think the UK have bad theme parks need to look to your neighbours here in Ireland to see how good ye have it! 😭I haven't been over for a while though but used to go annually for a trip .

I've never been to any theme parks apart from UK ones and am never likely to (can't ever see myself visiting America or Japan) so I really hope it gets made and I can experience a small bit of the magic.

Difficult for me to get excited about because the Swanscombe one has been discussed for at least 15 years with lots of goverment support and nothing ever happened
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Resort
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.kentonline.co.uk/dartford/news/amp/london-resort-theme-park-will-still-be-built-vows-top-exec-298929/

But all of the waterways in the area (of which there are loads) will be enormously damaged by this development.

I think we are talking at cross purposes about 'lakes'. That on the plan is the existing quite large Stewartby Lake which is used for small boat sailing (and recently a drowning occurred there). In the brickworks site there are smaller 'lakes'. There is also a charming incinerator there so they can't buy that bit!

Another thing thrown on local land with one of those special government orders, despite MP saying she would fight it (LOL, was Dorries!).

Yes, @Windwwwash - I agree. There is a lot of wildlife around there. You have the river and the associated flood plains, nature reserves etc., and the old brickworks lakes act like a protected corridor for wildlife along the A421.

When I have been to Alton Towers, for example, I haven't noticed foreign tourists

I always seem to find massive groups of foreign school kids who queue jump 🙄

This map (from https://universalukproject.co.uk/) shows that part of the lakes are included...

Anyway, the lakes don't have to be included in the purchase for wildlife living there to be affected, and for the environment to be adversely affected by such a huge amount of building work.

But the surrounding land is greenbelt. The brickworks is tiny, and already very overgrown and full once again of birds, trees, insects. All of that will be demolished for something that will produce millions of tonnes of carbon, plastic tat and food packaging. It's an absolutely dreadful idea for the area.

Central Beds has been identified as one of the areas most in need of housing and with one of the greatest shortages in England of dentists and GP services.

In those green areas there are lakes. Newts are there.

@peakygold - it was a brickworks a long time ago. Look at the Forest of Marston Vale country park - that's built just down the road on the site of a brickworks too, and you'd never know it now.

@Coasters4Life -The brickworks lakes are definitely included - one zone of the planned park is called the lake zone!

I wouldn’t worry about fireworks every night. Even the Orlando parks use them far less frequently now due to cost cutting. Plus the UK weather is so terrible it’ll likely get rained off anyway 😂

On the “other” theme park in the area - I actually thought this was already being built. Is that not the case?

Agree with a PP though that I think it’s unlikely to come to fruition. There’s a reason it’s been considered (and rejected) many times over the years. Plus it would never feel the same as “proper” US in Florida (the weather and friendly customer service helps!)

Totally agree with the theming and the overall quality of the US parks compared with the UK parks like Legoland. We were last in Legoland a few years ago, the park was grotty, everything looked like it needed a good wash, the rides/shows were just plonked into the park with no "experience" around them, the staff were sullen and disinterested, the whole experience was just a let-down.

I preferred Disney to Universal but would welcome any sort of park here which will create jobs and yes, hopefully make Merlin up their game. They have got away with being very second rate for so long as there is no alternative.

How exciting - I would definitely go as I am unlikely to ever go to Disneyland Florida.