Britain gives planning approval to major new film studio near London
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain on Wednesday approved plans to build a major new film studio in west London to spur economic growth by supporting the creative sector; this plan overrode the local council’s concerns about its impact on the environment.
The development at Marlow Film Studio has become a test case for Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s promise to overhaul the sclerotic planning system that investors blame for making building in Britain difficult and costly.
A letter outlining the government’s decision said the economic benefits of the plan were “very significant”.
He said the benefits outweighed concerns about developing “green belt” land, a designation aimed at preventing urban sprawl into the countryside, which the local council cited when initially blocking the proposals.
‘VOTE OF CONFIDENCE’ IN THE UK CREATIVITY SECTOR
Marlow Film Studios, whose backers include directors James Cameron, Sam Mendes and Paul Greengrass, plans to build 470,000 square feet of soundstages (soundproof studios) on 56 acres of disused landfill next to a busy road.
Robert Laycock, chief executive of the £750 million ($986 million) project, praised the decision as “a real vote of confidence in the UK and its creative industries” and said it would attract global investment.
British film and TV production aims to rival Hollywood in terms of capacity, and the government has identified the sector as deserving of support.
Also in the west London film cluster is Warner Bros. House in Leavesden, where much of the blockbuster ‘Barbie’ was shot. and Pinewood Studios, where James Bond, Marvel and Star Wars movies were shot.
Save Marlow’s Greenbelt campaign group questioned whether another studio was needed and said its “speculative” benefits were unlikely to outweigh the “clear and serious harm”.
“We believe the development will cause significant and lasting harm to the environment, local community and nature,” he said in a statement.
($1 = 0.7599 pounds)
(Reporting by Alistair Smout; Editing by Catarina Demony, Gareth Jones, Philippa Fletcher)
