Universal has announced plans for months-long works on the site of the upcoming Universal Studios United Kingdom theme park, as work picks up for the first time since planning permission was granted.
As per updates posted to Universal’s UK Project website for the park, it has announced that from 7th April to 22nd May that enabling and preparation work will be taking place to the existing railway crossing and two access points to the Universal site on Broadmead Road, signalling the first real sign of progress on the site since the Special Development Order came into force in January 2026 and planning permission was granted in December 2025.
To delve into more details, from the 20th April to 22nd May, Broadmead Road will be closed from the Woburn Road junction to the Hansons Reach roundabout, requiring the number 68 bus to follow a diversion along Green Lane to the south of Stewartby while the road is closed.
Furthermore, from 8pm on Friday 15th May to 5am on Monday 18th May, Woburn Road itself will be closed to help with the enabling and preparation work, with an alternative diversion in place, and the C10 and C11 bus routes following the diversion.
Universal has also announced that, as a result of the works being carried out, the speed limit along Broadmead Road will be lowered to 30mph, which took effect from 30th March 2026.
As a result of all of this, there have been red signs put up at one end of Broadmead Road for the last few weeks, with one recently being spotted by Theme Park Worldwide on X:
While the park was under public consultation, it had been questioned as to how large construction traffic would impact the narrow Broadmead Road that runs along one side of the Universal site, and it seems that Universal is laying the groundwork to allow larger projects to occur.
Several large trucks and excavators have been seen on the site in recent weeks, perhaps suggesting activity beyond the current scope of enabling works and “habitat relocation, detailed archaeological protection surveys, and the construction of slip roads to allow access for construction vehicles”, as per a meeting Universal executives had with local MP Mohamed Yasin in November 2025.
At the time of its submission, Universal’s planning permission document revealed some exciting details about the upcoming park, such as the fact that actual resort construction is likely to begin in Q4 2027. This means we’ve got around 18 months of groundwork and such to be laid before the resort itself may actually go up. This comes ahead of the park’s 2031 opening date, plus Universal is expecting up to 8.5 million visitors a year for the park.
In the documentation, Universal itself described that guests would experience “adrenaline-pumping coasters”, “mind-blowing spectaculars” and would “come face-to-face with incredible creatures, heroes, and villains”, while they would also “discover great food, new laughs, new ways to play, and step into immersive worlds they’ve only ever dreamed of.” It also recently registered the potential name for the park with the UK Intellectual Property Office, alongside registering potential IPs for attractions such as Back To The Future and, more recently, Jurassic Park, for use in theme park activities.
It was previously revealed that Universal’s impending UK park would “unlock several longstanding transport upgrades” in a letter sent to local residents back in May 2025, committing that the park would work for expanding Wixams railway station as well as for adding direct slip roads from the A421 to the park for accommodating the sea of road traffic, and upgrading Manor Road that runs by the site. All of this current work seems to be laying the foundations for a very exciting future.
Read more about everything we know so far about Universal Studios United Kingdom.
