Pinewood eyes historic expansion with £200m planning application

Global film and TV services provider Pinewood Shepperton is to submit a planning application to South Bucks District Council for the expansion of Pinewood Studios, entitled the Pinewood Studios Development Framework (PSDF). The submission follows extensive consultation with a wide range of local and national stakeholders, as well as producers and developers of creative content.

The PSDF comprises a substantial expansion of the existing Pinewood Studios by adding a total of 100,000sqm of new facilities, including studios and stages, workshops, production offices and streetscapes for filming.  Once complete, says Pinewood Shepperton, this would make a major contribution to achieving Government priority objectives to grow the UK’s creative industries, promote growth and create new jobs.

According to Amion Consulting, the PSDF would, among other benefits, provide £194m of private sector infrastructure investment, support over 8,100 full-time jobs, create some 3,100 net additional jobs, and produce an additional contribution to the Exchequer of £36m per annum.

Ivan Dunleavy, chief executive of Pinewood Shepperton, commented: “This is a critical opportunity for the creative industries and particularly for the UK film industry. Global demand for filmed entertainment is increasing and the UK remains one of the leading destinations to produce creative content. We have the talent and skills and the Government has expressed its commitment to the industry through the various tax reliefs now available. Without infrastructure to meet the rising demand, the UK will inevitably turn away business. Pinewood Studios, the UK film industry and UK plc cannot afford to allow this to happen.”