Could southern England become a theme park hub?

Families, movie fans, thrill-seekers, and international tourists are set to enjoy a wave of new theme park developments across southern England.

Plans include a resort based on blockbuster movies near Bedford, a historical-themed park near Bicester and an indoor water park near Basingstoke.

Together with existing parks such as Legoland and Thorpe Park, they could create a new cluster of major visitor attractions and help drive tourism to the region.

Theme park strategist Mark Lofthouse said it is an exciting time for the industry and that the proposals could help turn the UK into "a real hub for theme parks".

Universal is one of the world's biggest theme park operators, with attractions based on franchises including Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, Minions and Fast and Furious.

Its parks in Orlando, Hollywood, Japan, Singapore and Beijing attract tens of millions of visitors each year.

Plans for the first Universal Studios theme park in the UK were approved for land near Bedford.

The development - expected to open from 2031 - would include a large theme park with multiple themed "lands" alongside shops, restaurants and entertainment venues, as well as a hotel forming part of a wider resort complex.

The government has described the scheme as a multi-billion-pound investment, estimating it could create around 20,000 construction jobs and 8,000 permanent roles.

Universal expects the site to generate £50bn for the UK economy by 2055.

Plans have been submitted for a £600m historical-based theme park by Puy du Fou on land near Bicester in Oxfordshire.

The attraction would focus on large-scale live shows and immersive experiences depicting periods of British history.

Puy du Fou already operates history-themed parks in France and Spain, where visitors watch large theatrical productions recreating events from the Roman Empire to the story of Joan of Arc.

Proposals include four themed villages, 13 live performance spaces, landscaped gardens, restaurants and a conference centre, as well as three hotels based on historical eras.

Developers say the park could open in phases from 2029 if planning permission is granted.

Puy du Fou estimates the attraction would employ about 2,000 people and support a further 6,000 jobs in local hotels, restaurants and suppliers.

The company has said the project could deliver around £500m a year to the regional economy and attract about 1.47m visitors annually.

An indoor water park resort by Great Wolf Resorts is planned for the site of Basingstoke Golf Centre in Hampshire.

The proposed development would include a 512-room hotel alongside a large indoor water park with slides and pools, as well as restaurants, retail space and family entertainment attractions such as arcades and adventure activities.

The resort would sit near the M3 on land west of Basingstoke.

Great Wolf Resorts operates more than 20 similar indoor water park resorts across the US and Canada and has previously announced plans for three UK locations.

Developers say the scheme could create about 600 permanent jobs once operational, with additional roles during construction.

Development of a proposed site near Bicester in Oxfordshire has since been paused while the company reviews its wider UK expansion plans.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council previously backed the Hampshire proposal in principle and is now considering the full planning application.

Several major theme parks already operate within driving distance of the proposed new developments.

Legoland Windsor Resort opened in 1996 and is aimed largely at families with younger children, featuring dozens of rides and attractions themed around the famous toy bricks.

The park is also known for its "Miniland" displays - recreating landmarks from around the world using millions of Lego bricks.

About 15 miles away in Surrey, Thorpe Park near Chertsey has developed a reputation for thrill rides since opening in 1979.

Its newest attraction, Hyperia, opened in 2024 and is billed as the UK's tallest and fastest rollercoaster.

Also in Surrey, Chessington World of Adventures Resort combines a theme park with a zoo and aquarium. Originally opened as a zoo in 1931, it now features rollercoasters, themed lands and animal attractions.

Further south, Paultons Park near Romsey in Hampshire, opened in 1983 and is home to Peppa Pig World.

The park continues to expand, recently opening the £3.5m indoor dark ride Ghostly Manor and announcing plans for a £12m Viking-themed area, Valgard - Realm of the Vikings.

Together the parks already attract millions of visitors each year.

If parks by Universal, Puy du Fou and Great Wolf Lodge go ahead, they would sit within roughly an hour to 90 minutes of these existing attractions, forming a cluster of major visitor destinations across southern England.

Industry experts say the emergence of several major attractions could help strengthen the region as a tourism destination.

Mark Lofthouse, a theme park strategist with entertainment consultancy RWS Global, said clusters of attractions are common because they encourage visitors to stay longer in an area.

"Clusters of attractions create an ecosystem where people visit several experiences in one trip.

"That increases the amount of time visitors spend in an area and benefits the wider tourism economy," he added.

He said the arrival of a global brand such as Universal brings "huge international recognition".

"That can attract visitors from across Europe who might not otherwise have travelled to the UK for theme parks."

While it is tempting to see the new parks as competition, he said existing UK parks could actually benefit from increased interest in the sector.

"Existing parks already have very loyal audiences, and a major new attraction can actually strengthen the industry by bringing more people into the market overall," he added.

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