Universal site residents say they feel 'forgotten'

Nicola Haseler
Reporting from
Reporting fromKempston Hardwick
BBC An aerial view of a row of 12 houses situated between fields and a former brickworks. The former brickworks is mostly made of concrete and there are arable fields to the front of the properties.BBC
Manor Road in Kempston Hardwick runs through land bought by Universal Destinations and Experiences

Residents living in the middle of land purchased for a Universal Studios theme park say they have not been informed about what will happen to their homes.

Manor Road, in the village of Kempston Hardwick, Bedfordshire, sits between the intended 476-acre theme park and the construction site for the Universal Studios attraction.

Many residents say they have not yet received confirmed offers of compensation even though their homes are ear-marked for demolition in Universal's plans to transform the former brickworks site.

The BBC contacted Universal's PR representative in the UK for a response, but they declined to comment on the views of the Manor Road residents.

The attraction could create an estimated 28,000 jobs before opening in 2031, and is expected to draw in 8.5 million annual visitors by 2031.

Universal has sought planning permission for the new destination in Bedford through a special development order (SDO), which would allow the government to approve the project directly and bypass standard local planning procedures.

Universal Destinations & Experiences/Comcast An artist's impression of the new Universal theme park site shows a big lake and lots of rides surrounding it.Universal Destinations & Experiences/Comcast
The new park is aiming to open in 2031

"We seem to be forgotten. There are people living here - I've lived here for 31 years. This is my home," said one of the Manor Road residents, Tom.

Twelve properties sit in the row, but only the first five houses at one end have been bought.

The properties are not subject to compulsory purchase orders (CPOs), but residents say they feel they are being forced to move nonetheless.

Claudia Pixley told the BBC that someone working on the construction site knocked on her door to tell her her home would be part of a compulsory purchase.

"He sat at my kitchen table and I told him I didn't want to move, I've lived here for 10 years. He said "If you're going to be difficult we can build the theme park entrance opposite your house," so I asked him to leave."

Only when the planning documents were published last week did the residents discover they were not subject to a CPO.

Nicola Haseler/BBC Claudia Pixley, a woman wearing a light blue top with long blonde hair, stands outside her home with a hanging basket next to her.Nicola Haseler/BBC
Claudia Pixley says she is frustrated by a lack of information and transparency

Ritchie Wood, a tenant who has lived in Manor Road for 10 years, said residents had not been updated at all about the future of their homes.

"None of us know whether we're going to be here in a year's time, where we're going to live. It really is a nightmare, sleepless nights kind of stuff," he said.

Some residents have been asked to sign non-disclosure agreements with a company called Saphira Real Estate. Others have not signed. They all want to have a direct conversation with Universal Destinations and Experiences about the future of their homes.

"We're not against the theme park - we think it'll be great for the area. But this is my home, my children grew up here, I had no plans to ever leave," Tom told the BBC.

"We're not going to be bulldozed out of here by a load of bullies, and if we are bulldozed we want fair compensation for the total inconvenience."

Nicola Haseler/BBC Man in a light coloured T shirt with a grey beard stands in front of treesNicola Haseler/BBC
Ritchie Wood said his home on Manor Road meant everything to him

Ms Pixley said residents had contacted Bedford Borough Council to ask for help. In an email seen by the BBC, a council officer told them: "The discussions between these homes and Universal are a private commercial matter".

Ms Pixley said she was concerned about how the area would end up looking: "If we stay it looks like all the trees and screening around our homes will be cut down, and we'll be on the side of a dual carriageway.

"Eighteen months ago all our future plans were put on hold. It's really sad not knowing if we'll have to go, when and in what manner.

"We just want our considerations heard."

Nicola Haseler/BBC A row of old cottagesNicola Haseler/BBC
The cottages on Manor Road formed the original hamlet of Kempston Hardwick

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