A parent in Stewartby fears their children’s safety could be put at risk if a huge Universal Studios theme park is built nearby, warning that large numbers of strangers in the area could make it unsafe for kids to play outside.
The parent, who lives in the area, raised their concerns at a Stewartby and Kempston Hardwick Parish Council Extraordinary General Meeting on 24 July.
“We’re talking about a whole community here…”, they said, “The children can play out safely in the evening. Are they still going to be able to do that while 55,000 random people at times are going to be walking in and out of this village?
“Would you want your children out playing because I wouldn’t.”
The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked Bedford Borough Council whether the Bedford Borough Safeguarding Partnership had been consulted, if any safeguarding assessments had been carried out.
They also asked whether the council was confident the development would not increase risks such as child sexual exploitation, grooming or other harms.
A council spokesperson said it had “considered the various elements of the application submitted by Universal as part of the SDO [Special Development Order] process” and that, if approved, it would “work with Universal, Bedfordshire Police and other blue light partners… to ensure appropriate safety and security is maintained for local residents and visitors.”
Bedfordshire Police Assistant Chief Constable John Murphy stated that the force had reviewed the planning documents and noted the significant visitor numbers anticipated.
“We will continue to assess the impact the project may have on the force’s ability to effectively police the county… and work closely alongside partners including Universal, the local authority and other blue light services to ensure that those who live and work in Bedfordshire are safe,” he said.
Planning documents indicate that Universal Destinations & Experiences (UDX) has outlined a range of public safety and community well-being measures, although they do not specify actions to prevent child sexual exploitation.
These include:
- A Worker Code of Conduct for all staff and contractors to set behavioural standards on and off site
- A Security and Emergency Management Plan with a “unified control approach” covering the design phase through to long-term management
- Traffic and active travel safety measures, including segregated walking and cycling routes, safe crossings near local facilities, and maintained emergency access during construction
- Noise limits, inward-facing attractions, and landscaping to reduce sound impacts, plus a community noise hotline
- Restricted public access to on-site water areas, with fences and barriers to prevent accidents
- Food and drink outlets located away from nearby schools and offering more than just fast food
UDX also plans to appoint a community liaison officer, send regular updates to residents, and work with local schools on education and careers programmes.
The proposed park, near Kempston Hardwick, could attract up to 55,000 visitors on peak days if approved.
UDX was approached for a comment on safeguarding, but did not respond at the time of publication.
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
