Hollywood’s Sunset Studios announce plans for a £700 million “world-class” film and TV facility in the UK.
The studio is home to film productions such as When Harry Met Sally, Zoolander and La La Land.
The Los Angeles owners, along with an investment company, bought a 91 acre site in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire for £120m.
The government supports development of stage spaces like this in the UK, but the proposal is still subject to planning permission.
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Oliver Dowden, calls the new studio “another vote of confidence in the UK’s booming film and TV industry”. He says, “through the British Film Commission, we’re supporting the development of stage spaces”. This is largely because it will boost the local economy. They want to back “our world-class creatives to make the next Bond blockbuster or bingeworthy box set”.
Mr Dowden is also the Conservative MP for neighbouring constituency Hertsmere, where Elstree Studios is located.
Benefitting the community
LA based studio owner and operator Hudson Pacific, together with investment firm Blackstone, hope to transform Broxbourne into a hub for UK and international productions. They estimate it could “contribute £300m annually to the local economy” and create as many as 4,500 jobs.
The head of Blackstone Real Estate Europe, says the new production centre will “deliver a world-class studio facility that will help ensure that the UK continues to be a premiere destination” for worldwide content production.
The development is Sunset Studios first expansion outside of the United States. Chairman and chief executive of Hudson Pacific, Victor Coleman, is looking forward to “working with Broxbourne Council to ensure the project has a meaningful and positive impact on the local community”.
Meanwhile, leader of Broxbourne Borough Council, Lewis Cocking, says it is a “fantastic opportunity” for the region. He says the building of the development is important to the area and just what we need after the pandemic. The creative industries bring more permanent new jobs and a boost to the local economy.
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