Universal Studios Bedford: Theme park's rollercoasters could be tallest in Europe - here's how they could compare to other giants

While the documents don’t yet give any specifics about ride themes, they do say the maximum height for structures such as rollercoasters in the theme park area would be a whopping 115m (377ft).

For those that find that hard to visualise, that’s taller than Big Ben, which stands at 96m, or 316 feet (and we’re rounding the heights here, people).

The documents explain: “The reason for proposing structures up to this maximum height is to allow the proposed Theme Park to compete with other attractions in Europe.

“Although the Universal Orlando Resort does not currently have attractions up to this height, taller attractions are more common in Europe, where rides need to be taller to create the experience, as space is more constrained.

“Building attractions that are higher rather than over greater areas also makes the best use of land which is in line with planning policy.”

So how does that size up against other top rides across the world?

Well, it’s more than double the size of Universal Florida’s current tallest rollercoaster – the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, which is 51m (167ft).

Currently, the tallest coaster in the world is the Top Thrill 2 at Cedar Point in Ohio at an enormous 130m (427ft).

The European record holder is the towering 112m (367ft) Red Force at Ferrari Land within PortAventura World in Spain.

And the UK’s current giant is Hyperia at Thorpe Park, which is 72m (236ft).

The documents explain that visitors to the park can expect “blockbuster attractions, adrenaline-pumping coasters, and mind-blowing spectaculars” as they come “face-to-face with incredible creatures, heroes, and villains”.

And in a covering letter, Universal wrote: “First, we would like to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who has helped us get to this stage, not least the people of Bedford, who have welcomed us and through their input during our pre-proposal engagement, helped us to craft a planning proposal that maximises the local opportunities that this unique project brings.”

Of course, we don’t know for sure that any of the coasters at Universal Studios Bedford will reach that dizzying max height – a graphic in the planning application’s Design and Access Statement shows a skyline concept and comparative heights (that’s Red Force pictured faintly on the far left, behind the dark black concept), which suggests they might not.

But here’s a look at some of today’s biggest and best thrill rides, both at Universal and beyond. You know, for fun.