Elstow, Bedford taken in 2020
18 Dec 2025 | 08:15 | London | by May Agaran, Chris Borland
Scheme to cater to the region’s manufacturing, defence and automotive industries
- What XLB and Southill Estate have agreed to bring forward a 50 acre site in Bedford
- Why Bedford Innovation Campus will be an industrial tech complex catering to R&D tenants
- What next 650,000 sq ft scheme will be close to the site of the future Universal theme park
XLB Property has teamed up with Southill Estate on a development agreement to bring forward an industrial tech scheme in Bedford, Green Street News can reveal.
To be called Bedford Innovation Campus, the project will extend to 650,000 sq ft and cater to the region’s manufacturing, defence and automotive industries. The XLB site is of strategic importance after the UK government agreed to a special development order (SDO) that will enable US media giant Comcast to build its first UK Universal Studios theme park in Bedford on a neighbouring plot.
The gateway site of 50 acres is located on the interchange of the A6 and A421 to the south of Bedford.
Southill Estate has been owned by the Whitbread family since 1785. Savills advised Southill.
Charles Whitbread, principal at Southill Estate, said: “This development agreement cements a long-held ambition shared with Bedford Borough Council to see the town deliver a hub for innovative businesses to invest and thrive at our strategic location within the Oxford/Cambridge Arc.”
The proposed Bedford Innovation Campus will be located close to Universal’s first UK theme park, which will span more than 650 acres across the former Kempton Hardwick brickworks site. Development of the theme park was approved by the government on Tuesday through a special development order . The entertainment complex is anticipated to bring in £50bn of economic benefit.
Henry Godsal, head of investment strategy and asset management at Savills Cambridge, said: “After a developer interview process we are pleased to be working with XLB to bring forward this prominent strategic site and to see it transformed in to valuable employment space for Bedford.”
Alexander Johns, equity partner at XLB, added: “We are excited to be bringing forward Bedford Innovation Campus to deliver a high-quality industrial tech campus catering for R&D tenants. The site sits perfectly within our R&D innovation thematic alongside Cody Technology Park and Langstone Technology Park. BIC will offer great synergy to the Universal theme park but will also deliver much-needed quality space to cater for Bedford’s strong manufacturing, defence and automotive industries.”