A Midlands construction consultancy is backing a luxury apartment scheme in Bedford intended to provide accommodation as work begins on Universal United Kingdom Resort, the Universal-branded theme park and resort planned near the town. Bedford Today first reported the story, and trade coverage from Construction Enquirer identifies the same project as part of the early housing response around the build.
The scheme centres on Mayfair House in Lurke Street, where Construction Enquirer says Birmingham-based The Construction Consultants is helping convert an empty office block into 26 luxury one- and two-bed apartments with more than 16,000 sq ft of residential space. The aim is to create a high-quality apart-hotel offering short- and longer-term accommodation for people connected with the Universal project.
Why the Bedford link matters
Bedford Borough Council describes Universal United Kingdom Resort as Universal Destinations & Experiences’ first Universal-branded theme park and resort in the UK. The council says works on site started in 2026 and opening is planned for 2031, so accommodation close to the site is becoming part of the practical build-out well before the gates open.
Universal’s planning material also includes a Temporary Workforce Accommodation Strategy, which underlines that short-term housing has been considered as part of the construction phase. NBCUniversal says the finished resort will include a world-class theme park, immersive lands and a 500-room hotel alongside retail, dining and entertainment space. That scale is why even a single apartment conversion in Bedford is relevant: the build is large enough to create demand for beds long before the resort opens.
What happens next
The apartment scheme is due for completion later this year, according to trade reporting. That gives it a narrow window to come on stream while construction activity around Universal UK is still ramping up.
What remains unconfirmed is whether more Bedford accommodation schemes will follow as the resort moves towards its 2031 opening date. For now, the clearest picture is that housing around the project is starting to appear alongside the main construction work, rather than after it.
