A study commissioned by the Major of London greenlights the development of a world class film studio in the East London suburb.
Just a year ago, Sadiq Khan partnered with Film London and the Borough of Barking and Dagenham to commission a feasibility study which investigated the cost benefits of the construction of a 17-acre production facility in East Dagenham.
The report from the study was unveiled on Monday by the Mayor and council leader Darren Rodwell, and the results are very promising. The site has been deemed an “ideal location for Hollywood-style studio space”, and Khan himself was enthusiast to seize such a “rare chance” to build the first production facility in the Greater London area since the establishment of Three Mills in the 1990s.
Investors are now wanted to boost such a massive development. Be First, Barking & Dagenham’s urban regeneration company, has invited formally expressions of interest by investors. The deadline for such expressions of interest is the 20th of December, after which a formal tender process is set to start.
“We have had interest already but we really want to see the full potential of this site, this is an outstanding opportunity for an ambitious organisation to help make Dagenham famous for films as well as Fords.”
–Pat Hayes (Managing Director at Be First)
The studio will be the biggest in Greater London and the fourth in England after Pinewood, where the James Bond and Star Wars sagas were shot, Shepperton studios and the Leavesden facilities owned by Warner Bros, home to the Harry Potter franchise.
As the Mayor said, the new film studio constitutes a great opportunity to keep up with the rising demand for British production, which attracted £1bn in foreign investment to the capital last year, making up about 75% of the national film industry.
The borough is not new to the production of Hollywood blockbusters, having already attracted Marvel hits Doctor Strange and Avengers: Age of Ultron, as well as the likes of TV dramas Humans, Liar and Netflix’s Black Mirror. According to the aforementioned study, the facility would boost local economy by providing around 780 full-time jobs in the area, generating £35m per year for the British economy.
The demand for studio space and UK-based film production keeps growing, with most of the inward investment coming from Hollywood: “There are already amazing productions being made in Dagenham and I know these new studios will have us hot on the heels of Hollywood for blockbuster movies, showing the world that London is open to creativity, business and talent.” Said the Mayor of London, enthusiastic and confident about the new project.