Ruislip & Eastcote & Northwood Gazette
Set for a remake, Hollywood-style?
DESIGN TO EXPAND FILM STUDIOS AT HOUNSLOW’S OLD GILLETTE FACTORY WITH THOUSANDS OF JOBS CREATED
HOUNSLOW’S old Gillette factory is set to get a huge ‘Hollywood-like’ makeover under plans to expand film studios at the site.
Built in the 1930s, the iconic Brentford building operated as a factory for Gillette until 2006 when the company moved production to Poland.
The complex was sold to developers in 2013, and has operated as a film studio for the last few years. Production for big films such as Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and 24: Live Another Day has been completed at the site.
In a presentation delivered to Hounslow Council on Thursday, a number of new studios were proposed, promising to bring thousands of jobs to the area.
There are just four sound stages but the applicant, The Vinyl Factory, wishes to raise that number to nine. They also want to also increase office space and workshop facilities.
Proposals seek to keep and refurbish the former Gillette Factory building, restoring external features like the iconic green copper clock tower. Historic buildings like the Old Mould Shop and Caxton Building may be demolished under the new proposals.
The Campbells Building is set to be partly demolished and extended, with Hollywood-like gates set to welcome people into the studio complex.
If the changes are approved, the work will bring up to 957 construction jobs and up to £53million to the local economy.
After completion, the huge number of sound studios and office space will bring more than 3,400 more permanent jobs to the site as well as increasing training opportunities for young people. There are ongoing discussions with TfL about how the new and larger film studio would impact local travel networks, but it is understood that workers would be on early starts and late finishes, and therefore would not directly impact peak hours.
Cycle parking will be provided as well as a car park with 750 parking spaces.