Universal Studios to get own sewage plant

The first Universal theme park in the UK will have an on-site wastewater treatment plant, a water company said.

In December, the government granted planning permission for the park to be built on a former brickworks at Kempston Hardwick, about six miles (10km) south of Bedford town centre.

Concerns have been raised about the sewage output of 476-acre (192-hectare) complex, which is forecast to attract 8.5 million visitors in its first year.

The park will be kept separate from Anglian Water's domestic supplies with its own wastewater treatment plant, the company told a meeting of Central Bedfordshire Council's Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Talks were ongoing with Universal Studios and its utilities operator around water supply and disposal, which "won't be to the detriment" of households in the county, said Grant Tuffs, Anglian Water's senior policy and public affairs lead.

He added: "We're not putting current customers at risk here for a development of a theme park in this area. So there's an on-site wastewater treatment plant being scoped out, which would be separate from our network.

"There are conversations going on both with Universal and the government around how we can help them develop their utility systems for water provision and disposal, without any detriment to the local community."

In January, Anglian Water said Bedford Water Recycling Centre would not be able to cope with the park's output without a major upgrade.

The site is expected to open in 2031 and will be "one of the largest and most advanced" theme parks on the continent once complete, Universal Studios said.

Concerns have also been raised about the water demands for a proposed £9.5bn data centre campus on a 143-acre site at Quest Pit in Stewartby near the planned Universal theme park, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Tuffs said Anglian Water was working closely with partner agencies, including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, should plans for the data centre go ahead.

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