Britain approves major new film studio near London despite local objections
Britain on Wednesday approved plans for a major new film studio west of London, overriding local council objections in an effort to spur economic growth and strengthen the country’s creative industries.
The Marlow Film Studios project has emerged as a key test of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s pledge to “bulldoze through restrictive planning laws” that investors say hinder development, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
In a letter outlining the decision, the government said the project’s economic benefits “carry very substantial weight” and outweigh concerns raised by Buckinghamshire Council, which had rejected the plans over the use of protected “green belt” land.
The decision comes just hours before Finance Minister Rachel Reeves presents her annual budget, in which she is expected to defend “fair and necessary” tax increases aimed at accelerating growth.
Backed by directors James Cameron, Sam Mendes and Paul Greengrass, the £750 million ($986 million) development would create 470,000 square feet of soundstages on a 56-acre former landfill site beside a major road.
Robert Laycock, CEO of Marlow Film Studios, called the approval a “real vote of confidence in the UK and its creative industries,” saying it would attract significant global investment.
The UK has positioned its film and TV production sector as a strategic growth area, with major studios such as Warner Bros. in Leavesden and Pinewood Studios in west London producing global hits including Barbie, the Harry Potter films, and Deadpool & Wolverine.
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