Universal studios on my doorstep

[Queenofkittens]

So universal studios have been given the green light to go ahead and plan a park in Bedford. I actually live in Wixams, the newer village and have done for the past 5 years. Universal studios will be right on my doorstep and I'm not sure how I feel about it. One part of me is excited to have something so close that will be great for the kids and so on and the other part of me is dreading it. The traffic for starters. Also, I'm aware that house prices (including mine) are set to increase meaning we will have definitely made some money on it but we weren't planning on staying forever as we ideally need a larger house so our boys don't have to share a room. However, I understand we won't be able to afford a bigger house in wixams but will I even be able to buy a house in Bedford at all? Are the prices going to be so ridiculous that I won't be able to live here (which I have for the last 31 years!). Does anyone think I'm being silly (AIBU) or would you genuinely be worried? (YANBU)

I’m excited about it now that’s it’s finally official! As for house prices, I read a recent article that predicts prices may go down rather than up because of it (not sure why though). Who knows? I just really hope it does bring regeneration to Bedford itself though.

I attended a couple of consultations and was very reassured by Universal's consideration of wildlife and nature conservation. I cannot imagine any scenario where the brownfield site could be more sympathetically developed to provide this level of employment- and enjoyment to those who choose to visit.

It won't get Harry Potter - Warner Bros won't want a rival attraction so close to their own. I think the hope will be that, certainly with regard to international visitors, guests will spend a couple of days in the Universal park and then a separate day visiting H.P. Studios which is just over an hour away. All the more revenue for businesses local to Bedford hopefully.

This will be 500 acres with 8.5 million annual visitors.
I don't think anyone in the area commenting positively can have any real concept of just how massive it will be and just how overwhelmingly busy everything nearby will get

But I think that's exactly why Bedford has been chosen as a good site.

It's proximity to London and the airports and it already has a rail and motorway links that can be improved and expanded. It's easy access: the masses can come & go quickly.

Yes, it's going to be huge and a town in it's own right- but if you know Bedford and the surrounding area, any new infrastructure is better than the current trend of decline.

Have a look at the drone footage on the BBC website of the current site, then come back and let me know whether it looks as you imagine.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/c0l0058528zo

Link

I could understand this - I'm not sure I'd choose to buy here again knowing there will be millions of tourists on the doorstep.

It's proximity to London and the airports and it already has a rail and motorway links that can be improved and expanded. It's easy access: the masses can come & go quickly.
From London, OK, but rail links to and from north of Bedford are much worse these days than they were a few years ago. To get to and from say Sheffield, or Derby you have to change trains at Kettering and Leicester. To get from Leeds (without the extra expense of going via London and having to change stations ) you have an additional change, at somewhere like Derby.
Unless you go via Nottingham who is one change less, but getting from the platform you come. In on or the London train is not easy ( and it takes longer).
All those changes most people.will be doing with luggage and children, you miss a connection OK you can get a delay repay but then you miss the next connection
That is to Bedford, not Wixams or Kempston Hardwick, or wherever the new station will be, which I presume will be yet another change
National. Rail Enquiries encourages those from the north to go via London ( which is no quicker but dearer)
Public transport from the north is not looking too tempting so many would come by car

Well yes, I'm sure it will be fantastic for economic growth and the UK bottomline. Very positive.

That's all very well but not really relevant to what I posted - which is that, if I lived near, I'd be moving ASAP.

I think for anyone who lives in the vicinity it will be bloody horrific. Years of noise and dust and mile-long conveys of artics. Then the rest of it, the tourists and packed out roads and hospitals and trains, forever.

If you rent privately, ANYWHERE nearby, you are royally fucked. No one will be able to afford to rent in a 20 mile radius when it opens.

But the rail links can be worked on... the line is there, granted it desperately needs modernising but a basic infrastructure exists. Granted, it needs modernising and expansion.

And once the visitors money starts turning up things will change to make a smooth journey from wherever to the univeral theme park. It's in eveones (as in Universal & government) interests to get the transport part right.

This will attract a lot of visitors from all over the UK and continental Europe.

Not sure about continental Europe..... What with having to change money to Pounds and now needing an ETA to come to UK (similar to ESTA for USA) they'll probably mostly stick to border-free travel in the EU. I could be wrong of course.

I love a theme park so I'd be happy to have this an hour's drive from me but I wouldn't want it any closer.

I'm surprised they chose the UK in the first place as the weather is often rubbish.
I am glad they did though and if it brings in as much money as they hope then great.
Having said that I would be moving away if I lived nearby, the disruption will be immense, an old college friend of mine lives on a farm in Alton village and the Alton Towers traffic causes mayhem locally.

They have got permission to build a universal studios theme park and yes it will be a bit chaotic at first but it will be great as well .
About your house not being big enough can you not make it bigger like an extension on your house put a bedroom in the attic or one in the extension if you extend and then when they leave home sell it make a profit and buy a smaller place for you and your hubby ... problem solved

We can't extend at the back as my garden isn't huge and the loft isn't big enough either, don't you have to have a certain height to build bedrooms? I don't think it would work with the house we have.
There are currently 4 villages in wixams, I'm in village one which is where wixams started, village 4 however is the kempston Hardwick side so I think they will have more trouble with the whole thing, but it still makes me worry!

It'll be interesting to know what happens to the road access for site construction. The road on the Kempston Hardwick side has a low bridge and a 7.5T limit (they'll probably just gaily change that as they did on a bridge going into Wootton). I assume they'll get some access road from the A421 built first and that will definitely go across fields.

I'd really really hate to live in the little row of houses in Kempston Hardwick right now.

There's also the massive new development along the B road from Ampthill - not sure if that is going to join on to Wixams but it's already causing issues along that route. I think the construction traffic will be a huge problem for locals and I'm not sure why everyone is so excited.

I don't know why everyone is so exited either, it's not like it's for everyone's benefit, a large part of the population don't go to theme parks.

Kempston will be minimally impacted though. Surely you can see why residents of the villages are anxious?

Yes, I was just thinking about whether that's in the way of any access roads!

Lovely seeing my fellow County folk here!

Because it will bring lots of jobs to the local area, both the site development and on an ongoing basis. It will bring in tourists from abroad which is positive for the economy.
People travel from far and wide for the HP studios.
Yes, access etc will have to be addressed. Yes the building works will at time cause some disruption. But site access is usually built first. The same is the case along the M25/A10 jct. That was upgraded before they started works there to ensure the site access doesn’t block the jct.

Yes I am surprised and pleased to see so many Bedford and Bedfordshire residents here on MN.

Especially amusing considering the number one Google search last week was 'Where is Bedford'?

I had no idea there were so many of us!

International tourists won't all be driving, hence major improvements for the train lines. Plus if there is rail access directly to the park then even UK tourists won't necessarily drive.

There is also hope that this will drive places like Alton Towers to improve their own offerings to compete more. Whilst I love AT, a lot of people are finding it old and less value for money now. If this does prompt already existing theme parks to improve what they offer then it will be good across the country