Universal Studios is planning a huge Harry Potter theme park in the UK

It's an unwritten rule among fans that winter is officially Harry Potter season, with months of curling up on the sofa and binge-watching our favourite witches and wizards on Netflix.

But now, the Harry Potter franchise could be returning as part of a brand new Universal Studios theme park in Bedford, following in the footsteps of the US, China, Singapore and Japan.

The company shared its plans to take over 480 acres of land at Kempston Hardwick for the UK's sixth major theme park.

While not confirmed, other Universal theme parks feature the likes of Transformers, The Simpsons, Fast & Furious – and of course, Harry Potter.

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A spokesperson told Theme Park Insider: "It will be many months before we are ready to make a decision to proceed, and we look forward to engaging with all relevant stakeholders and the local community."

Universal said Bedford was chosen as it was "close proximity" to areas outside of Europe. More than half of the UK population is within two hours of the planned theme park.

"We support Bedford's vision of becoming a prosperous place to live, work and visit,” the company added.

Tom Wootton, the elected mayor of Bedford Borough Council, said: "The suggestion of a major business investment is of course positive, nevertheless these are early days and much detailed work is required before any decisions are made.

"We very much welcome and are excited by the interest from Universal and the immense potential for it to be transformative for the borough.

"We're committed to ensure that any plans align with the best interests of our residents."

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