Plans revealed to build a world-class film studio near High Wycombe
Wycombe Film Studios is set to be a new eight-stage boutique studio that will become home to the world’s top film and TV content makers.
Temporary planning applications for the development in Clay Lane, Marlow has been submitted to Buckinghamshire Council by Stage Fifty to support a Hollywood feature film that will start shooting in 2022.
An application for a permanent studio will follow later in 2022, transforming a 26 acre site located in Clay Lane just off Junction 4 of the M40 to the south west of High Wycombe into a class-leading sustainable film studio perfect for movie makers and global streamers.
In 2019 the proposed site for Wycombe Film Studios was allocated as a strategic employment area in the Local Plan for Wycombe District, with the adjacent Air Park remaining in situ. The new studio supports Buckinghamshire Council’s objective of fostering economic growth by delivering multi-million pound investment to the region and creating hundreds of exciting new jobs for the local community.
The development will, subject to planning permission, include the following facilities:
- 8 x sound stages
- Stunt rehearsal space
- Workshops
- Offices
- Café
- Parking
Wycombe Film Studios will be Stage Fifty’s third film studio complex in the UK with the other two located in Farnborough and Winnersh near Wokingham.
James Enright, CEO of Stage Fifty, said: ‘We’re excited to reveal our plans for Wycombe Film Studios. We’ve been working behind the scenes for two years to ensure we have everything in place to build a world-class film studio with all the elements for success.
We’ve received temporary planning approval to build one stage and workshops and have submitted further applications for three more stages to support a major feature film that will start shooting this year. We’ll apply for full planning permission to create the long-term permanent studio in the coming months.
Stage Fifty creates sustainable studios, and together with our partners, we’ve developed new technologies and innovative ways to build greener and more quickly than our competitors.
This will be our third site in the UK. We’ve achieved great success with our other film studios in Farnborough and Winnersh, and we’re looking to continue this success in High Wycombe.
Wycombe Film Studios will stimulate economic growth throughout the region, supporting around 600 temporary jobs during the construction phase alone.
Once the studio is operational, it will create around 750 full-time direct jobs and support 450 indirect jobs in the supply chain.
Ideal for independent productions and global franchises alike, the studio will establish High Wycombe as a destination for national and international film and high-end television projects, attracting the world’s most innovative content creators and inspiring a new generation of British filmmakers in the heart of Buckinghamshire.‘
Adrian Wootton OBE, Chief Executive of the British Film Commission, said: ‘The UK is enjoying an immense, once-in-a-generation production boom, generating billions of pounds for the UK economy and translating into thousands of new jobs across the country’s nations and regions. Indeed, the demand for filmed content is at an all-time high, which in turn is driving the need for additional studio and stage space.
The development of new facilities, such as Wycombe Film Studios, in tandem with a focus on greater skills development, will further strengthen the UK’s position as a leading centre of film and high-end TV production in the world.‘
Central to the plan for success is sustained investment in young people. Stage Fifty is launching an apprentice scheme to provide hands-on experience and training opportunities, supporting emerging film makers and developing the local skills base.
Wycombe Film Studios will offer 25 apprenticeships annually through Stage Fifty’s Academy of Creative and Technical Arts (ACTA).
The sustainable studio’s impressive eco plans include solar roofs for clean energy and recycled soundproofing inside the stages. The modular aluminium and steel structure ensures the stages are durable and robust. While the demountable design offers a more sustainable way to build as 90% of the construction materials are reusable.
Green spaces are maximised across the site, and vertical garden walls on the stages will help purify the air, providing a haven for local wildlife to flourish and improving the environment for everyone who works there.
A phased build is planned over the next 18 months, subject to planning permission. With the appetite for high-quality film and TV content greater than ever before, Wycombe Film Studios is looking forward to welcoming its first feature film later this year.
Further information can be found on the Stage Fifty website at https://www.stagefifty.com/wycombe-film-studios.
*Source of article : Press release from Stage Fifty.