Stage Fifty has revealed its plans for Wycombe Film Studios, a new eight-stage boutique studio.
Temporary planning applications for one stage and workshops have been submitted to Buckinghamshire Council to support a Hollywood feature that will start shooting in 2022.
An application for a permanent studio will follow later this year, for a 26-acre site located just off the M40 to the southwest of High Wycombe. A phased build is planned over the next 18 months, subject to planning.
This will be Stage Fifty’s third site in the UK, following film studios in Farnborough and Winnersh.
Stage Fifty estimates that the development will support around 600 temporary jobs during the construction phase. Once the studio is operational, it will create around 750 full-time direct jobs and support 450 indirect jobs in the supply chain.
Wycombe Film Studios will offer 25 apprenticeships annually through Stage Fifty’s Academy of Creative and Technical Arts (ACTA).
The sustainable studio’s eco plans include solar roofs for clean energy and recycled soundproofing inside the stages. The modular aluminium and steel structure is designed to ensure that the stages are durable and robust. While the demountable design offers a more sustainable way to build as 90% of the construction materials are reusable. Green spaces are maximised across the site, with one feature being vertical garden walls on the stages.
James Enright, ceo of Stage Fifty: “We’ve been working behind the scenes for two years to ensure we have everything in place to build a world-class film studio with all the elements for success….Stage Fifty creates sustainable studios, and together with our partners, we’ve developed new technologies and innovative ways to build greener and more quickly than our competitors.”
Adrian Wootton, the chief executive of the British Film Commission says: “The demand for filmed content is at an all-time high, which in turn is driving the need for additional studio and stage space. The development of new facilities, such as Wycombe Film Studios, in tandem with a focus on greater skills development, will further strengthen the UK’s position as a leading centre of film and high-end TV production in the world.”
Pippa Considine
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