The whole, 34-acre site is being redeveloped, with a 160,000 sq ft film studio at the heart of the plan

Work has begun on the development of a new film studio in Forthside, Stirling, on the site of former MoD land.

The £16m Stirling Studios plan covers the redevelopment of the whole, 34-acre site, most of which will be upgrading existing MoD buildings, to be completed by March 2026.

The work includes the refurbishment of the 160,000 sq ft building that is expected to become the main hub for the studios, alongside the installation of key infrastructure such as roads, power, drainage and communications.

In March 2024, the Forthside site was transferred to Stirling Council through the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal – a £214 million partnership between Stirling and Clackmannanshire Councils, the University of Stirling and the UK and Scottish Governments.

Subsequently, the £16m redevelopment funding from Stirling Council was part of a £19m grant secured from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund.

The council plans to appoint an operator to run the studios. Stirling is located half-way between Glasgow and Edinburgh, forming a ’production triangle’ across Scotland’s central belt.

Stirling Council leader, Cllr Gerry McGarvey, said: “We are incredibly excited about the Stirling Studios project which is at the heart of the major development of the Forthside area.

“The creation of Stirling Studios is an incredible opportunity to bring new high-skilled jobs, in a thriving sector, to Stirling and the wider region.

“We are investing £16 million to redevelop the Forthside site through the delivery of key infrastructure to unlock and enable the site, including refurbishment of the existing buildings.

“Our aim is to transform this former military site into a dynamic and vibrant location for film, high-end TV production and other creative industries, and put Stirling at the centre of this industry in Scotland, delivering wide-ranging and lasting economic and social benefits.

“We are committed to engaging with the local businesses and the community to ensure that we maximise the benefits for Stirling, as well as working in partnership with Screen Scotland, University of Stirling, Forth Valley College and the wider education sector and industry to support skills development and expand the talent pool in Scotland across this key sector.

“The feedback from the screen industry continues to be hugely positive and encouraging and we look forward to sharing more announcements about this transformative project in the near future.”

Images via Christopher Jackson: Drone Videography & Photography.