Emails show council was in talks with Universal for more than a year before official theme park announcement
Central Bedfordshire Council held informal, high-level talks with Universal Studios for more than a year before plans for the theme park were officially announced – even suggesting ways to present the project to the public, emails released under Freedom of Information laws reveal.
The correspondence, spanning from December 2023 to April 2025, shows regular contact between council leader Adam Zerny and senior NBCUniversal executives.
Bedford Today revealed rumours of the plans on December 19 – with Universal confirming it was exploring the area just an hour later.
The messages describe informal catch-ups, direct mobile contact, and an emerging strategy to help shape public reception of the development.
In one email, dated 22 December 2023, councillor Zerny pitched Central Bedfordshire’s political independence as a selling point, writing: “At Central Beds our USP is that we’re the only Independent-run county council in the UK… Our Executive are of working age. Which might explain much of the enthusiasm for your project!”
Emails from early 2024 detail frequent coordination of meetings, calls, and media preparation. NBCUniversal repeatedly thanked Zerny for his support and, in one case, assured him he wouldn’t hear about any deals “third hand on the local news.”
After the project was publicly announced in April 2025, councillor Zerny even proposed topics for Universal to address, such as traffic mitigation and potential discounts for train travellers.
Despite this extensive engagement, Central Bedfordshire Council said in its FOI response that it holds no minutes, agendas, or internal reports on infrastructure, environmental impact, or economic implications. It also said no public consultation materials were prepared.
The only meetings acknowledged without formal documentation were two stakeholder briefings attended by council chief executive Marcel Coiffait in April and May 2025.
Meanwhile, Bedford Borough Council, whose area would host the proposed theme park, took 45 working days to respond to a similar FOI request, ultimately saying the request exceeded the cost limit under the Act.
“We estimate that it will take us in excess of 18 hours to determine appropriate material,” the council said. “Bedford Borough Council may be able to provide information requested if you reduce or refine your request.”
The Local Democracy Reporting Service has requested an internal review into Bedford Borough Council’s handling of the request and the delay in responding.
Universal Studios has submitted its planning application and aims to begin construction in 2026.