Wycombe Film Studios development approved by Bucks Council

Buckinghamshire Council has granted full planning permission for Wycombe Film Studios, a development predicted to generate £305 million and support 1,200 new jobs in the area. 

The eight-stage film studio development has been approved three years after the Stage Fifty production company submitted a planning proposal.

The Wycombe Film Studios project will be located on a 26-acre site just off the M40 near High Wycombe, with development expected to be completed over the next 18 months.

Stage one of the studio campus has already been built and tested and is fully operational and ready for production.

The completed site will include workshops, production offices and rehearsal and support spaces in its 295,000 square feet of space.

Hot on the heels of the recently approved Pinewood Studios expansion, Wycombe Film Studios has been billed by planners as 'one of the closest new studio developments to London' and hopes to attract content makers from around the world.

CEO of Stage Fifty, James Enright, said: "Wycombe Film Studios will be a unique creative space that works for everyone. We'll deliver the same high level of service and personal attention to clients here as we do at Farnborough Film Studios and Winnersh Film Studios.

"Across our UK locations, we'll offer the industry over 20 sound stages supporting a combination of large, medium and small-budget films and HETV, from Hollywood blockbusters to independent film and television. We also plan to build live broadcast sound stages for homebound unscripted television."

The production company has said it will address the environmental impact of the upcoming development through designated green spaces throughout the studios site, with a focus on creating new habitats for wildlife.

Buckinghamshire Council leader Martin Tett said the council recognised the benefits the studio would bring to the local area.

He said: "Buckinghamshire is the home of the UK's film industry, so we're delighted that planning permission has now been granted for Wycombe Film Studios. With its state-of-the-art facilities, the studios will be a hub of creativity. They'll also be a catalyst for economic growth in the area, generating around 750 direct jobs and a further 450 indirect jobs, as well as providing new opportunities for education and training.

"Buckinghamshire has a rich history of attracting TV and film productions to the county, thanks to its vibrant towns, historic buildings, and picturesque landscapes – and the new studios are sure to build on this success.

"With its prime location just off the A40, Wycombe Film Studios is set to become a vital and exciting part of the local community."