Universal Studios UK Theme Park to Feature On-Site Wastewater Treatment Plant

The first Universal theme park in the United Kingdom will be equipped with an on-site wastewater treatment plant, Anglian Water has confirmed. The park, which received planning permission in December, is to be built on a former brickworks at Kempston Hardwick, approximately six miles south of Bedford town centre. The 476-acre complex is projected to attract 8.5 million visitors in its first year, raising concerns about its sewage output.

Anglian Water told a meeting of Central Bedfordshire Council's Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee that the park will be kept separate from the company's domestic supplies. Grant Tuffs, Anglian Water's senior policy and public affairs lead, stated that the on-site wastewater treatment plant is being scoped out and will be separate from the existing network. He added that discussions are underway with Universal Studios and its utilities operator to ensure water provision and disposal do not negatively affect local households.

In January, Anglian Water had indicated that the Bedford Water Recycling Centre would require a major upgrade to accommodate the park's sewage output. The Universal Studios theme park is expected to open in 2031 and will be one of the largest and most advanced on the continent. Separately, concerns have been raised about the water demands of a proposed £9.5 billion data centre campus near the theme park site.