Britain approves new film studio near London

UK film industry looks to rival Hollywood in capacity

LONDON:

Britain on Wednesday approved plans for a major new film studio to the west of London, overriding local council concerns about the impact on the environment, in a bid to spur economic growth with a boost to the creative sector.

The Marlow Film Studio development has become a test case for Prime Minister Keir Starmer's promise to overhaul a sclerotic planning system that investors blame for making it difficult and costly to build in Britain. A letter outlining the government's decision said the economic benefits of the plan "carry very substantial weight".

It said the benefits outweighed concerns over the development of "green-belt" land, a designation intended to prevent urban sprawl into the countryside which the local council had cited when initially blocking the proposals.

Marlow Film Studios, which lists directors James Cameron, Sam Mendes and Paul Greengrass among supporters, intends to build 470,000 square feet of soundstages – soundproofed studios – across 56 acres of a disused landfill site next to a busy road.

Robert Laycock, CEO of the £750 million project, hailed the decision as a "real vote of confidence in the UK and its creative industries", saying it would attract global investment.

British film and TV production seeks to rival Hollywood in capacity and the government has identified it as a sector that deserves support. Also in the west London film cluster are Warner Bros. in Leavesden, where much of blockbuster 'Barbie' was shot, and Pinewood Studios, where James Bond, Marvel and Star Wars films have been made.

A local campaign group opposed to the studio complex, Save Marlow's Greenbelt (SMG), has said the site was not derelict and supported a valuable ecosystem, while its openness helped to protect the character of the Buckingham town and surrounding villages.

The group questioned if another studio was needed, and said its "speculative" benefits would likely not outweigh "clear and substantial harm". "We believe the development will cause significant and lasting harm to the environment, the local community, and the landscape," it said in a statement.

The group said it was disappointed with the decision but would not be seeking to challenge the decision through a high court action. This marks the end of a long campaign. We will continue to defend Marlow's green belt against inappropriate development."