Mayor of Bedford Tom Wootton has said he is confident that the proposed Universal Studios theme park will be delivered with government backing.
Bedford borough councillors voted to unanimously support the project at a meeting on Thursday, August 21.
The US entertainment giant has already submitted a planning application to build what would be its first European resort, set across as much as 268 hectares, at the former Kempston Hardwick brickworks near the town.
Mr Wootton said the atmosphere at the council meeting was “wonderful”.
“The mood in the chamber was really excited and councillors were agreeing with each other across parties,” Mr Wootton said.
If approved, Universal said the theme park would generate nearly £50 billion of economic benefit and create 28,000 jobs
The mayor acknowledged there were concerns that roughly eight million annual visitors to the resort could overwhelm local roads.
But he insisted that both ministers and Universal had a clear interest in preventing gridlocked traffic in the borough.
“You don’t arrive at a theme park calm and relaxed if you have spent an hour in a traffic jam,” Mr Wootton said.
“Universal wants guests to feel at ease on holiday from the minute they get off the aeroplane.”
Universal has claimed the park will generate nearly £50bn of economic benefit and create 28,000 jobs by 2055.
