Bedford Borough Council is to begin work on a new Local Plan, following advice from the Planning Inspectorate that the arrival of Universal Destinations & Experiences would significantly change the borough’s long-term development needs.
A Local Plan outlines policies for housing, employment, infrastructure, and land use in an area, serving as a key tool in shaping future growth.
While the council had been working on its 2040 plan, a recent letter from the Planning Inspectorate recommended that work be paused and replaced with a new plan to reflect the scale of Universal’s impact fully.
The Universal project, announced by the government earlier this year, is expected to create 28,000 direct and indirect jobs, attract millions of visitors annually, and generate billions in economic benefits for the region.
Read: Universal Studios UK gets green light for £50bn Bedford theme park opening 2031
In a formal letter to the council, Darren McCreery of the Planning Inspectorate said: “Given the implications of Universal, the likely outcome of a review and the work following it would be the production of a fundamentally different plan to the one submitted.”
He added that such changes “are best discussed with local communities outside the scrutiny of a plan examination”, and that the process should instead align with the National Planning Policy Framework’s aim of creating a “genuinely plan-led system” shaped by local priorities.
Read: Wixams station put on hold as Universal Studios plans reshape rail priorities
“In the combination of specific circumstances presented in this case, I see no reasonable way for the examination of the Plan to continue,” said Mr McCreery.
“I would strongly recommend that the plan is withdrawn and that the council resolve to work in partnership with their local community to bring forward a new plan.”
A decision on whether to withdraw from the current Local Plan 2040 process will go to the council’s executive and be brought before full council next month.
If approved, the council would begin developing a new Local Plan that better reflects the borough’s economic potential and infrastructure needs in light of the Universal Studios development.
“The plan Bedford deserves”
Conservative Mayor Tom Wootton welcomed the recommendation, saying the Borough now has a “wonderful opportunity” to create a plan that matches its ambition.
Read: Is East West Rail still on the right track after Universal’s announcement?
“The plan on the table to date was just one part of the legacy that was left to me by the previous Liberal Democrat mayor that I was not happy with,” he said.
“I was not happy with the Local Plan, I was not happy with how EWR was shaping up, and I was not happy with how our town centres were allowed to drift.
“With the fantastic news of Universal and the many opportunities it presents, it is clear that the 2040 Local Plan was not in line with our vision, which the inspector could see.
“We pledged to create a vibrant borough, and that is what my team and I will continue to work for every single day.”
Existing Local Plan policies will remain in place until a new one is adopted, and neighbourhood plans for specific local areas will continue to be valid.
When asked for a comment, Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats did not directly address the mayor’s criticism of their previous local plan, instead choosing to highlight other concerns. You can read about this at the link below.
Read: Lib Dems accuse mayor of keeping ‘secret list’ of land for development under new Local Plan
Update: This article was updated on 20 JUne 2025 at 15:18 to include details of the response from the Liberal Democrats.
