[🌎 Universal GB] General Discussion

[WanderingNortherner]

Ramp up to what? There is no planning permission so construction can’t start yet.

I don't expect we'll see any major works without publication of planning docs, but I do expect there will be lots of noticable prep works over the summer, such as more houses being vacated.

Not a shot at you. More a shot at the constant non-updates by bloggers and vloggers filming every little movement on site and hyping up construction progress with hyperbolic click bait titles.

Problem is without the constant uploads the YouTube algorithm ignores the channel.

 

[Dave]

I don't expect we'll see any major works without publication of planning docs, but I do expect there will be lots of noticable prep works over the summer, such as more houses being vacated.

Problem is without the constant uploads the YouTube algorithm ignores the channel.

Not really of any significance though is it, that’s the point.

Every time a portacabin sneezes people get a little too excited. This is going to be a long process, it will feel longer still if we jump at every molehill that appears on the site.

 

[rob666]

If I saw a portacabin sneeze I would be very excited.
Molehills make mountains.
Probably.

 

[dave___]

You know things are really ramping up for a multi-year delay when you see the archaeological trenches starting to get scraped out in the fields. What they might find in an abandoned industrial site is beyond me but I will be surprised if they don't find anything.

Wonder if Bet365 will take odds on whether Universal or Sizewell C gets built first given they're both slated for 2030...

 

[Dave]

As a life long fan of Time Team I would happily watch the archeological survey

 

[dave___]

As a life long fan of Time Team I would happily watch the archeological survey

I maintain that geophysics was always some sort of bullshit pseudo-science that sounded fancy to the typical channel 4 audience. From what I remember Phil was always entertaining even if he did ham up the country yokel aspect of his personality and appearance.

 

[Dave]

I maintain that geophysics was always some sort of bullshit pseudo-science that sounded fancy to the typical channel 4 audience. From what I remember Phil was always entertaining even if he did ham up the country yokel aspect of his personality and appearance.

Geophys is still very much in use. Especially on these sort of surveys as it allows them to focus on areas of interest.

The new geophys is actually pretty impressive.

 

[MattBTP]

You know things are really ramping up for a multi-year delay when you see the archaeological trenches starting to get scraped out in the fields. What they might find in an abandoned industrial site is beyond me but I will be surprised if they don't find anything.

Wonder if Bet365 will take odds on whether Universal or Sizewell C gets built first given they're both slated for 2030...

I doubt we will see anything major happening on site until at least this time next year, maybe longer. Think they said in the press release they expect to start construction in 2026, my bet would be that would be towards the end of 2026 rather than the beginning. Depends on how far they are into the planning process, and of course any hiccups that might occur along the way. For some kind of reference, the park expansion at Thorpe (infilling of the lakes) took around a year to negotiate/get the relevant permits/planning approved.

 

[masekwm]

You know things are really ramping up for a multi-year delay when you see the archaeological trenches starting to get scraped out in the fields. What they might find in an abandoned industrial site is beyond me but I will be surprised if they don't find anything.

Wonder if Bet365 will take odds on whether Universal or Sizewell C gets built first given they're both slated for 2030...

They’ve already been dug and reported on in 2018 as part of the business park application. They were redug in 2024.

The company currently drilling are the same company who worked the site back then and reported on underground conditions

 

[Quantum]

The Planning application must surly be imminent if the want to get cracking next year. I think we may see a separate application for demolition of the houses on Manor road once they are all vacated. Realistically this could happen this year along with preparation work for the construction village.

In regards to the main site, crops will be harvested by the end of September and there will be no more planted which to me signals that within a 12 month timeframe ground works on the main site will begin.

 

[Blackrock]

The planning application will be submitted within the next 6 weeks at the latest imo.

It’ll be submitted before the summer recess for parliament anyway.

They’ll probably have an agreement of what work they can start such as demolishing houses before the planning application has been approved, basic things to get the site build ready. Making sure all the facilities are in place for the staff that’ll be on site etc.

 

[Dave]

Parliament isn’t needed, so the recess is irrelevant.

 

[MattBTP]

Might not be as relevant (as its in a different country), but was reading up on how long it took Euro Disney from announcement to construction. Agreement was announced 1985 with the French Government. Construction started in 1988.

I'm wondering how much of the design for Universal has been done (if any at this point)? Concept art is concept art, however full design takes a while. They have just come off the back of Epic.

 

[xtpower]

Might not be as relevant (as its in a different country), but was reading up on how long it took Euro Disney from announcement to construction. Agreement was announced 1985 with the French Government. Construction started in 1988.

I'm wondering how much of the design for Universal has been done (if any at this point)? Concept art is concept art, however full design takes a while. They have just come off the back of Epic.

This has been in the works for a couple years at least, we've known since December 2023 and scuttlebutt says they've been planning it since at least 2022. So I expect they've been working on the design since then. Also, they've said they'll be submitting planning documents in the 'coming months', you wouldn't be ready to submit docs in the coming months if your full design isn't realised.

Of course things will change over the course of planning and construction (like Epic Universe) but they will have a full design already, otherwise there'd be no way they are looking to submit planning docs anytime soon.

 

[Blackrock]

Parliament isn’t needed, so the recess is irrelevant.

It’s not needed but Universal said the application would be submitted within the next few months, before recess would be the most sensible deadline for that submission.

 

[MattBTP]

This has been in the works for a couple years at least, we've known since December 2023 and scuttlebutt says they've been planning it since at least 2022. So I expect they've been working on the design since then. Also, they've said they'll be submitting planning documents in the 'coming months', you wouldn't be ready to submit docs in the coming months if your full design isn't realised.

Of course things will change over the course of planning and construction (like Epic Universe) but they will have a full design already, otherwise there'd be no way they are looking to submit planning docs anytime soon.

Just to add, and again not sure how relevant. At Thorpe we applied for outline consent for the MTDP. In that it stated the intention to build certain rides etc to certain heights within a given timeframe (e.g. 5 years). Once this was approved we then went into the full design stage and applied for full planning consent. Probably a bit different to this haha

 

[rob@rar]

Parliament isn’t needed, so the recess is irrelevant.

Bedford Council expect that the planning application will be formally submitted by Universal "in the summer, with a decision expected in the autumn of this year".

If the plan, as seems likely, is for planning permission to be granted by way of a Special Development Order it will require a parliamentary process, to approve the Statutory Instrument which contains the SDO. This is likely to be a formality (without any debate required) but Parliament will need to be sitting for that process to conclude.

 

[Dave]

Bedford Council expect that the planning application will be formally submitted by Universal "in the summer, with a decision expected in the autumn of this year".

If the plan, as seems likely, is for planning permission to be granted by way of a Special Development Order it will require a parliamentary process, to approve the Statutory Instrument which contains the SDO. This is likely to be a formality (without any debate required) but Parliament will need to be sitting for that process to conclude.

They don’t require a vote in parliament, parliament can object to them. I will say I don’t know if the objection period covers recess but it doesn’t need a vote.

 

[rob@rar]

They don’t require a vote in parliament, parliament can object to them. I will say I don’t know if the objection period covers recess but it doesn’t need a vote.

It depends on which procedure they use to table the Statutory Instrument, but I think it extremely likely they would use a 'made negative' SI (if they use the SDO option for planning approval). As we both said, this would not require a debate in parliament, but parliament does need to be sitting (either for 21 days or for 40 days, I'd need to check) for the SI to become law. A Statutory Instrument can't be laid during recess as both the Commons and the Lords, technically, need that 21 or 40 days to be able to object by way of a prayer motion. Obviously that's not going to happen, but government will still need to satisfy parliamentary procedures for the SI to become law.

Of peripheral interest, Bedford Council's planning update to the National Planning Inspectorate on the borough's economic and housing plan has been delayed because of the Highways Agency dragging its feet on the future of the M1/A421 junction 13 and the A421/A6 intersections. I doubt it will have much impact on the ongoing planning work by Universal, but it's all interconnected so there might be some implications. I had hoped that we would see more info on Bedford Council's revised strategic plan at their Executive Committee meeting next week, but it (and the extraordinary Council meeting which had been planned for the same day) has been cancelled. This might have given us an idea of whether the land around Universal's purchase would be used for housing or other activities.

 

[The_bup]

Don’t see anything really exciting happening on site. To state the obvious, at least the mud pushing fans and cabling enthusiasts will be satisfied. It’s a long haul.