A final home on Manor Road
Metro.co.uk first reported that one tenant is still living in a stretch of homes due to be cleared in Kempston Hardwick, where Manor Road forms part of the land being assembled for Universal United Kingdom Resort. The man is described as the last tenant standing in the village, a reminder that the project is no longer just about planning papers and site fencing: it is now reaching occupied housing on the ground.
The Universal development is planned for Bedfordshire as the company’s first branded resort in the UK and Europe, with opening currently planned for 2031. Bedford Borough Council says work on site started in 2026, and the Government has said the resort will form part of a wider scheme expected to create tens of thousands of jobs during construction and operation.
Why this patch of land matters
The approval for the resort already set out that the first phase to 2031 would include new highway access to the A421, a new junction, changes to Manor Road and additional platforms at Wixams station. In other words, the clearance at Kempston Hardwick is tied directly to the infrastructure needed to get the resort built and working, not just to cosmetic site preparation.
Universal’s own community update says Manor Road is closed for ongoing site stabilisation and enabling works from 27 July to 27 November 2026, with access to Kempston Hardwick station via the Woburn Road junction only. That places the village clearance within a live construction programme, not a future promise.
What happens next
The immediate question is how quickly the final occupied property will clear and what the next step on Manor Road will be once the current traffic management period ends. What is confirmed for now is the broader sequence: site work is under way, the road remains closed for construction, and Universal United Kingdom Resort is still scheduled to open in 2031.
