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After UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer gave the green light to a multibillion-pound theme park in Bedfordshire, one small hitch stands in the way of Universal’s ambitions: a small row of old brick workers’ cottages.
“I’m hoping for a lottery win,” said Tom Govorosa, who expects an offer from the US media giant to buy his home, which sits on the edge of its proposed new park.
Govorosa is one of four residents of Kempston Hardwick, a small hamlet in central Bedfordshire, who told the Financial Times they wanted compensation should they be forced to leave their homes because of the plans.
“I’m all for the project as it’s good for Bedford, but I want to make sure they pay me properly if I have to leave,” he added.
Andy Pardon, Govorosa’s neighbour, went further. “I want double the value [of the house],” he said. “What is an extra few hundred thousand to a company like that?” If they don’t offer to buy the house, I want compensation.”
In Govorosa and Pardon’s street, several residents have already sold their homes to Sc Collection Ltd, a subsidiary of media conglomerate Comcast, which owns Universal, according to Land Registry records.
The last — a terraced property, several doors down from Govorosa — sold for £333,500 in May last year. Universal told the FT it had already purchased six properties on the site.
One person familiar with the company’s thinking said the process to purchase the remaining houses needed to enable the park’s construction was under way.
“A man knocked on our door last September and told us an offer would be coming down the line,” Govorosa said.
The theme park from Universal Destinations & Experiences will be built on close to 500 acres of former brickworks. It is expected to attract 8.5mn visitors in its first year after opening in 2031, which would make it the largest visitor attraction in the UK.
Announced this month, it was hailed by Starmer as “firmly putting the country on the global stage”. The government — which is trying to keep a steady relationship with the US after President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on British imports — said the deal was an example of “partnerships between the UK and the US”.
The plans will bring an estimated £50bn boost to the UK economy and create 20,000 jobs. There will also be a new train station at Wixams — a town between Bedford and Luton — and improvements to road infrastructure.
Mohammad Yasin, MP for Bedford since 2017, said the park was “a dream come true” for the town, which is located in the wider Oxford-Cambridge development corridor.
“It’s not only jobs: more people will come to the town; empty shops may be filled — it’s really important to take advantage [of the park] to turn the fate of the town around,” Yasin said, adding that he would lobby Universal for benefits for local people such as discounted tickets.
Yasin said he recognised that some people could be forced to leave their homes and pledged to work with Universal to support affected residents.
“A couple of them have spoken with me . . . House prices in Bedford are going up very fast, and Universal need to ensure [those forced to move] are compensated to current market value,” the MP said.
The average house price in Bedford was £318,000 in February this year, up from £310,000 12 months earlier, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Separate analysis by law firm Taylor Rose found a 17.3 per cent rise in property transactions in Bedford between 2023 and 2024, second only to Powys in Wales.
The person familiar with Universal’s thinking said that affected residents would be compensated to fair market value.
But for one resident, who declined to be named, no money would make up for having to find a new home.
“This house has been in the family for generations and it will be very difficult to move,” the person said. “I understand that it’s almost inevitable, but my father built this home. It will be very hard if we have to leave.”
