Major new London film studio planned

Big BenDagenham in east London is to be considered as the site for a new film studio that could be the biggest of its kind in the capital.

A feasibility study will be carried out by the mayor’s office and local authorities to fully assess demand in the local area. 

The London Local Enterprise Partnership and Barking and Dagenham Council are set to invest up to £80,000 in the development of a business case for the proposed facility, which will look at the potential economic benefits for the East End.

“We are working together to create a blockbuster deal to generate hundreds of exciting opportunities for local young people and bolster Barking and Dagenham’s reputation as London’s latest creative hotspot,” said councillor Darren Rodwell, leader of Barking and Dagenham Council.

“Our ambition is that in future, Dagenham will become world-famous for films rather than Fords.”

A major studio in Dagenham would help boost London’s existing studio infrastructure, which currently includes 3 Mills, Ealing and Twickenham

Larger facilities Pinewood and Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden are on offer just outside the city and are both expanding.

Many productions – especially high-end TV shoots – also use adapted warehouses as temporary film studios in the capital.

“From James Bond and Star Wars to Harry Potter and Bridget Jones’s Baby, London has a vibrant production history and some of the best studios in the world,” said Sadiq Khan, mayor of London.  

“To sustain and grow this success story, it is critical that the capital gets significantly more studio and production capacity to maximise the opportunities for filmmaking.”

 



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