Work is to begin on Scotland’s proposed Stirling Studios located on former MoD land at Forthside.

The land, almost equidistant between Glasgow and Edinburgh, has been transferred to Stirling Council through the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal – a £214 million partnership between Stirling and Clackmannanshire Councils, the University of Stirling and the UK and Scottish Governments.

The project has been supported by repurposing a proportion of the £19m grant secured by the council from UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund (LUF) for the redevelopment and regeneration of Forthside.

The site will be “among the biggest film studio campuses in Scotland and pave the way for thousands of high-skilled jobs as well as major economic benefits.”

Stirling Council Chief Executive Carol Beattie said: “In a previous role as Director of Creative Industries for Scottish Development International, I knew there was still an opening for more production space in Scotland. At that point, I spent time in London speaking to the British Film Commission and studio operators such as Pinewood, Three Mills and Warner Brothers to understand the specifications of a good site.

“When I saw the unique buildings and location at Forthside, I considered it to be a fantastic fit, which has since been confirmed through our close consultation with the industry, including Screen Scotland.”

Stirling Council Leader, Cllr Chris Kane said: “Stirling Studios brings one of those rare moments in Stirling’s history which offers the potential to be truly transformational.

“We have an opportunity to embed an industry in our city which will bring thousands of high-skilled jobs, put us on a global creative map and deliver a significant economic boost to the region over many decades.

“By making innovative use of the existing buildings on a former military site, we are creating a studio campus that will provide everything film producers need to meet demand in a thriving sector.

Rather than demolishing and clearing all of the existing buildings on the MoD land as previously intended, some of these will be retained and refurbished for the film and high-end TV campus. “This will accelerate the start of economic activity and job creation on the site as early as this year, with the council currently investigating the best option for operating the facility.”

The remainder of the land will be redeveloped and cleared in line within existing plans, including the buildings not suitable for reuse. The other projects identified in the LUF bid, such as new roads, “will still be delivered by early 2026 as a new sustainable and economically vibrant community takes shape in the Forthside area.”

There is currently potential for 100,000 sq ft of studio space and 110,000 sq ft for production, logistics and office space at the site.

UK Government Minister for Scotland John Lamont said: “Scotland and the UK are a true film and TV production success story and the creation of Stirling Studios to add to the high quality portfolio of content being produced on these shores is brilliant news.

“I’m delighted that £24 million UK Government funding is helping Stirling Council to purchase and redevelop the former MoD Forthside site. The jobs and economy boosting regeneration that will follow will provide fabulous opportunities for the region.

“The UK Government is committed to making sure that Scotland and the wider UK remains an attractive location for film and high-end TV productions. That is why we have supported our world-leading creative industries with £1 billion in tax reliefs. In total we are investing £72 million in levelling up Stirling and Clackmannanshire and more than £3 billion across Scotland.”

Isabel Davis, Executive Director of Screen Scotland said: “The Stirling site’s location and ready potential for conversion into a studio are both exceptionally promising. Scotland has recently seen significant growth in productions looking to access its internationally recognised cast and crew, as well as its versatile natural and built environments.

“This new site will only add to Scotland’s considerable offering as a filming destination. Working with Stirling Council on this over the last few months, we have been very encouraged by the visionary approach that the team there have taken to get to this stage, including the opportunity to grow the local crew base.

“We look forward to continuing to work with them towards the realisation of the project.”

Pictured: aerial view of the proposed site