Further information on a request for planning permission: Entertainment Resort Complex, Bedford
Published 3 July 2025
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2025
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/request-for-planning-permission-entertainment-resort-complex-bedford/further-information-on-a-request-for-planning-permission-entertainment-resort-complex-bedford
Scope of the consultation
Topic of this consultation
This consultation invites comments (representations) on a request from Universal Destinations & Experiences to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (“MHCLG”) seeking planning permission for an Entertainment Resort Complex and associated development at the former Brickworks and adjoining land, Kempston Hardwick, Bedford (“the Proposal”). The request is accompanied by a statement referred to as an Environmental Statement.
Scope of this consultation
Comments (representations) are invited on the Proposal, including the plans, drawings, Environmental Statement, and other associated documents that accompanied the request for planning permission for an Entertainment Resort Complex, and associated development at the former Brickworks and adjoining land, Kempston Hardwick, Bedford. Please base your comments on land use and planning matters.
Geographical scope
This consultation relates to England only.
Impact assessment
The request for planning permission is accompanied by a statement referred to as an Environmental Statement and other documents. These documents set out the Promoter’s assessment of the impact of the proposed development on, for example, the environment.
You are invited to comment (make representations) on the Environmental Statement, and the other documents, plans, and drawings that accompanied the request for planning permission.
In responding to this consultation, we would also appreciate comments on any potential impacts on people with protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010 compared to persons without that protected characteristic.
Basic information
Body/bodies responsible for the consultation
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (“MHCLG”)
Duration
This consultation will begin at 12:00 BST on 3 July 2025 and end at 12:00 BST on 31 August 2025. Any comments (representations) submitted after this date may not be taken into account.
Enquiries
For any enquiries about the consultation please contact: MHCLG@mottmac.com
How to respond
Sending your comments using our online consultation portal, Citizen Space, is our preferred route as this greatly assists our analysis of the responses. The online survey can be found here.
If you cannot respond via Citizen Space, you can send your written comments to:
MHCLG
c/o Mott MacDonald
4th Floor
Mountbatten House
Grosvenor Square
Southampton, SO15 2JU
If you are responding in writing, please make it clear which document or documents you are commenting on.
When you reply, it would be helpful if you confirm whether you are replying as an individual or submitting an official response on behalf of a representative group or an organisation.
If you are replying on behalf of a representative group or an organisation, please include:
- the name of your group or organisation
- an address (including post code)
If you are responding online or in writing on behalf of a representative group or an organisation it would be helpful if, in your response, you gave a summary of the people or organisation you represent, and where relevant, who else you have consulted in reaching your conclusions on the Proposal documents.
We strongly encourage responses via the online survey, particularly from organisations with access to online facilities.
Introduction
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (“MHCLG”) has received a request from Universal Destinations & Experiences to grant planning permission for an Entertainment Resort Complex and associated development at the former Brickworks and adjoining land, Kempston Hardwick, Bedford (“the Proposal”). The request is accompanied by a statement referred to as an Environmental Statement.
The Proposal relates to land which is situated within 10 metres of relevant railway land as defined in Article 2 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015.The proposed development does not accord with the provisions of the development plan in force in the area in which the land to which the Proposal relates is situated.
MHCLG has been asked to consider granting planning permission by making a Special Development Order for the Proposal under Section 59 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
Consultation description
The Proposal seeks planning permission for EIA development (within the meaning of regulation 2) of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017) (“the EIA Regulations”). The Department must not grant planning permission for EIA development unless an Environmental Impact Assessment has been carried out in respect of that development (under regulation 3). The aim of Environmental Impact Assessment is to protect the environment by ensuring that when deciding whether to grant planning permission for a project, which is likely to have significant effects on the environment (positive and negative), this is done in the full knowledge of the likely significant effects, and this is taken into account in the decision making process. The Promoter’s assessment is set out in a document referred to as an Environmental Statement.
This consultation invites your comments on the Environmental Statement. The Environmental Statement contains complex data and analysis. The main findings have been set out in a non-technical summary.
We are also inviting your comments on the planning merits of the Proposals, in light of the documents, plans, and drawings that accompanied the request to grant planning permission for it.
In responding to this consultation, we would also like to hear views about any potential impacts of the Proposal, or any differential impact on, persons with a relevant protected characteristic as defined by the Equality Act 2010 compared to persons without that protected characteristic, together with any appropriate mitigation measures.
The plans, drawings, Environmental Statement, and other associated documents submitted with the Proposal can be viewed at Request for planning permission: Entertainment Resort Complex, Bedford.
Further details of how you can inspect the documents are set out below.
Guide to the documents submitted with the request for planning permission
There is a lot of information included in the submitted Proposal. The Promoter of the development has produced a guide to help you find the documents that you want to read.
The documents that make up the Proposal have been grouped into 6 parts as set out in table 1 below.
The Environmental Statement can be found in part 2 of the submitted documents. The Non-Technical Summary of the Environmental Statement can be found in part 5.
Other documents that may provide you with an overview of the Proposal, ahead of reading further details, are the Planning Statement and the Design and Access Statement, both these documents can be found in part 6.
Table 1: Grouped categories of documents
| Part | Part title | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introductory Documents and Drawings | Contains introductory documents and drawings provided to support the Planning Proposal. |
| 2 | Chapters of the Environmental Statement | Provides environmental information and an assessment of the likely significant effects of the proposed development, as well as a description of the proposed mitigation measures. |
| 3 | Figures of the Environmental Statement | Provides figures which support the findings discussed within the Environmental Statement. |
| 4 | Appendices of the Environmental Statement | Provides the appendices which support the findings discussed within the Environmental Statement. |
| 5 | Non-technical summary of the Environmental Statement | Contains the Non-technical summary of the Environmental Statement. |
| 6 | Other documents | Contains additional documents produced and submitted by the Promoter in support of the Planning Proposal. This includes general information, protocols, and plans and strategies. |
Where and how you can view copies of the submitted documents
The plans, drawings, Environmental Statement, and other associated documents submitted with the Proposal can be viewed here.
Printed copies of these documents are available to inspect on weekdays for the duration of the consultation period at selected venues.
Location: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government offices
i9 Building
Railway Drive
Wolverhampton
WV1 1LH
Opening Hours: 8am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday
Visitor Arrangements: Members of the public should report to reception to inspect the documents and do not need to make an appointment.
Location: Bedford Borough Council
Bedford Borough Hub
2 Horne Lane
Bedford
MK40 1RA
Opening Hours: 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, and 10am to 5pm, on Wednesdays
Visitor Arrangements: You must make an appointment to view the documents. To book, please email: universalgbproject@bedford.gov.uk
Location: Central Bedfordshire Council
Priory House
Monks Walk
Chicksands
Shefford
Bedfordshire
SG17 5TQ
Opening Hours: 8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Thursday, and 8.30am to 4pm, on Fridays
Visitor arrangements: Members of the public should report to reception to inspect the documents.An appointment will not be required but this could change subject to demand. We therefore recommend contacting Central Bedfordshire Council when planning your visit www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/info/364/universal_theme_park_bedford
How you can request a printed copy of the submitted documents
Printed copies of the documents can be requested at a charge of £3,328.00 by contacting universalukproject@londoncommunications.co.uk
Any specific document requests (such as large print, audio or braille formats) and copies of individual documents can also be requested via this consultation website.
Further information
Approach to the Environmental Impact Assessment
The EIA Regulations prevent the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government from granting planning permission for development that requires an Environmental Impact Assessment unless such an assessment has been carried out of that development.
Details of the approach that MHCLG intends to follow regarding publication, notification and consultation when considering the Proposal can be found at Environmental Impact Assessment handling, publicity and consultation arrangements.
Entertainment Resort Complex and associated development at the former Brickworks and adjoining land, Kempston Hardwick, Bedford: handling arrangements
The Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (“DCMS”) as the department responsible for policy relating to the visitor economy and creative industries, and the Office for Investment (“OfI”), as the organisation responsible for attracting investment into the UK, are coordinating within government and supporting the Promoter to work with executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies and interested parties relevant to the Proposal. DCMS and OfI are supported by the Department for Business and Trade (“DBT”). The Department for Transport (“DfT”), as the department responsible for transport infrastructure, is supporting the Promoter with regard to transport options.
The Minister for Housing and Planning is responsible for decisions on whether or not to grant planning permission for the proposed development.
Appropriate administrative arrangements have been put in place to ensure functional separation between the persons in government sponsoring or promoting the Proposal and those responsible for determining it. The administrative arrangements can be found at Entertainment Resort Complex, Bedford: Handling Arrangements.
About this consultation
This consultation document and consultation process have been planned to substantially adhere to the Consultation Principles issued by the Cabinet Office.
If responding online or in writing, representative groups and organisations are asked to give a summary of the people and groups or organisations they represent, and where relevant who else they have consulted in reaching their conclusions when they respond.
Information provided in response to this consultation may be published or disclosed in accordance with the access to information regimes (these are primarily the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 and UK data protection legislation). In certain circumstances, this may therefore include personal data when required by law.
If you want the information that you provide to be treated as confidential, please be aware that, as a public authority, MHCLG is bound by the information access regimes and may therefore be obliged to disclose all or some of the information you provide. In view of this, it would be helpful if you could explain to us why you regard the information you have provided as confidential. If we receive a request for disclosure of the information, we will take full account of your explanation, but we cannot give an assurance that confidentiality can be maintained in all circumstances. An automatic confidentiality disclaimer generated by your IT system will not, of itself, be regarded as binding on the Department.
MHCLG will always process your personal data in accordance with UK data protection legislation. A full privacy notice is included below. Representations made in connection with the Proposal may be made public. We advise you not to include any personal information about yourself or others.
Responses will not receive a reply.
Your opinions are valuable to us. Thank you for taking the time to read this document and respond.
Are you satisfied that this consultation has followed the Consultation Principles? If not or you have any other observations about how we can improve the process please contact us via the complaints procedure.
Personal data
The following privacy notice is to explain your rights and give you the information you are entitled to under UK data protection legislation.
Note that this privacy notice only applies to personal data (your name, contact details (such as address), employer, job role and any other information that relates to you or another identified or identifiable individual provided in your consultation response and in the event that there is any further correspondence following your response). Where the content of your response to the consultation does not include your personal data then this privacy notice does not apply.
1. The identity of the data controller and contact details of our Data Protection Officer
MHCLG is the data controller. The Data Protection Officer can be contacted at dataprotection@communities.gov.uk or by writing to the following address: Data Protection Officer, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Fry Building, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF.
2. Why we are collecting your personal data
We ask that you share your address and postcode. Your personal data is being collected as an essential part of the consultation process to help us understand your proximity to the land on which the development would be carried out. You will be unable to submit a response without providing the requested personal data, such as address and postcode. You will be able to submit a written response.
If you are commenting on behalf of a representative group or an organisation we ask that you share the name of the group or organisation. We advise you not to include any other personal data about yourself.
We will collect your IP address if you use our online consultation portal and complete our online survey. For further information on our use of cookies and similar technologies please see our cookie notice: Cookies - Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government - Citizen Space.
We will not use your personal data for any other purposes unless required or permitted by applicable law.
Sensitive types of personal data
Please do not share special category personal data or criminal offence data. By ‘special category personal data’, we mean information about a living individual’s:
- race;
- ethnic origin;
- political opinions;
- religious or philosophical beliefs;
- trade union membership;
- genetics;
- biometrics;
- health (including disability-related information);
- sex life; or
- sexual orientation.
By ‘criminal offence data’, we mean information relating to a living individual’s criminal convictions or offences or related security measures (including alleged offences). We will not use your personal data for any other purposes unless required or permitted by applicable law.
Children’s personal data
Please do not share any personal data relating to children under the age of 18.
3. Our legal basis for processing your personal data
Our legal basis for the collection and processing of your personal data is under Article 6(1)(e) of the UK General Data Protection Regulation as it is necessary for the performance by MHCLG of a task in the public interest/in the exercise of official authority vested in the data controller. Section 8(d) of the Data Protection Act 2018 states that this will include processing of personal data that is necessary for the exercise of a function of the Crown, a Minister of the Crown, or a government department. In this case, inviting comments (representations) on:
- a document referred to as an Environmental Statement; and
- other documents, plans, and drawings
These documents accompanied a request that MHCLG grant planning permission for an Entertainment Resort Complex and associated development at the former Brickworks and adjoining land, Kempston Hardwick, Bedford.
MHCLG is also inviting comments on potential impacts of the Proposal on, or of any differential impact on, persons with a relevant protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010 compared to persons without that protected characteristic, in accordance with MHCLG’s public sector equality duty under the Equality Act 2010.
4. With whom we will be sharing your personal data
Your personal data will be processed by our employees.
There are also certain circumstances where your personal data will be processed by third parties. These include:
- Mott MacDonald Limited – who acts as the ‘Data Processor’, to help analyse the responses to this consultation. We will ensure that the processing of your personal data remains in strict accordance with the requirements of UK data protection legislation. Their privacy notice can be found here: Privacy and data protection - Mott MacDonald
- Legal advisors – we will share your personal data with our legal advisors where required for the purposes of obtaining legal advice. Our legal advisors act as a data controller in respect of the processing of your personal data. Dentons UK and Middle East LLP act as our legal advisors and their privacy notice can be found here https://www.dentons.com/en/privacy-policy.
- Access to Information regimes - Information provided in response to this consultation may be published or disclosed in accordance with the access to information regimes (these are primarily the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 and UK data protection legislation). In certain circumstances this may therefore include personal data when required by law.
Your personal data may be transferred to other third party organisations in certain scenarios, such as:
- If we are required to by law – for example in response to a request from the police; or
- If we are exercising our legal rights and / or defending a legal claim your information may be transferred as required in connection with defending such claim or exercising such legal rights.
Your personal data may be shared if it is made anonymous and aggregated, as in such circumstances the information will cease to be personal data.
5. For how long we will keep your personal data, or criteria used to determine the retention period.
Your personal data will be held for two years from the date of the determination of the request for planning permission, unless we identify that its continued retention is unnecessary before that point
6. Your rights, e.g. access, rectification, restriction, objection
The data we are collecting is your personal data, and you have considerable say over what happens to it. You have the right:
a. to see what data we have about you (Access).
b. to ask us to stop using your data, but keep it on record (Restriction).
c. to ask to have your data corrected if it is incorrect or incomplete (Rectification).
d. to object to our use of your personal data in certain circumstances (Objection).
e. to ask us to delete your personal data in certain circumstances (Erasure).
f. to request the transfer of certain of your personal data to another party in certain circumstances (Transfer).
g.to lodge a complaint with the independent Information Commissioner (ICO) if you think we are not handling your data fairly or in accordance with UK data protection law. You can contact the ICO at https://ico.org.uk/, or telephone 0303 123 1113 (Complaint).
Please contact us at the following address if you wish to exercise the rights listed above, except the right to lodge a complaint with the ICO: dataprotection@communities.gov.uk or Knowledge and Information Access Team, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Fry Building, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF.