It is an exciting beginning to 2026 for the UK, as construction on the Universal Studios UK site starts! Whilst we are quite a long way off seeing the rise of buildings and coasters, it is clear that the site has been slowly prepared over the past two years, especially since the Special Development Order (SDO) became active on January 12th 2026. Continue reading below to find out more about this incredible development!
Universal UK: The Lake Zone
As it stands, there has already been a lot of activity around the ‘Lake Zone’ area, affectionately known as the ‘concrete slab’ by many. The site has seen animal habitat relocations, debris from the old brickworks being crushed, and a temporary roadway being built from the crushed bricks and rock.
More vehicles have been arriving on site, with site security being more ‘properly’ established now. Additionally, more welfare units for workers and designated parking areas are present for those accessing the site.
Universal Theme Park: The Core Zone
Over at the ‘Core Zone’, where the main Universal Studios theme park is to be situated, a new temporary service road is being installed. The road is being put together with industrial road plates to allow large machinery and vehicles to enter the core zone.
It has also been reported that workers have been walking around the Core Zone with metal detectors, according to Project Universal who has been avidly tracking the development of the site and creating regular update videos on YouTube. It is unclear what exactly the metal detectors are for, but it is likely to be to locate any materials or utilities such as pipework under the ground, removing any potential safety hazards, for example.
Universal’s Construction Timeline
There is still a lot of work to do for this brand new resort. Below is a breakdown of the timeline for key elements of the resort construction. Note that, even though we are being told 2031 for park opening, the end of construction is scheduled to complete around the second quarter of 2030. You never know – we might even see a slightly earlier opening than we thought!
Universal Destinations and Experiences, the company behind the developement of Universal Studios UK, anticipate the following:
Early 2025 – Mid 2026: Advanced Works (Phase 1a)
Early 2026 – Late 2027: Enabling Works and Grading (Phase 1b)
Mid-Late 2026 – Late 2027: Infrastructure Works (Phase 1c)
Mid 2026 – Mid 2029: Utility Connections (Phase 1d)
Early-Mid 2027 – Mid 2030: Roadway Works (Phase 1e)
Early-Mid 2028 – Mid 2030: Railway Works (Phase 1f)
End 2027 – Mid 2030: Resort Construction (Phase 1g)
We hope you are as excited as we are about the opening of Universal Studios UK. Keep checking back on Theme Park Utopia for more news and updates as the project progresses!
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