Lights, camera, action as city launches plans for film studio campus

There are hopes that big-budget Netflix and Amazon shows will be filmed in Stirling after a major film studio campus was launched in the city.

The council has announced the creation of Stirling Studios, which will be one of the biggest film studio campuses in Scotland.

The development, on the former MOD land at Forthside, should pave the way for thousands of highskilled jobs.

An independent economic impact assessment has estimated the project will create more than 4,000 jobs over 25 years.

Stirling Council chief executive Carol Beattie said she knew from a previous role as director of creative industries for Scottish Development International of a demand for more production space in Scotland.

She added: “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.”

The land at Forthside has been transferred to the council through the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal – a £214 million partnership between Stirling and Clackmannanshire councils, Stirling University 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.

Stirling Council leader 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.

“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.

“Students in our schools, our college and our university will be able to pursue creative careers right here in Stirling that in the past would have meant having to consider leaving to chase opportunities elsewhere.”

Rather than demolishing and clearing all existing buildings on the MOD land as previously intended, some 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 to as early as this year, with the council investigating the best option for operating the facility.

The other projects identified in the bid, such as new roads, will still be delivered by early 2026.

Experts have assessed there is currently 100,000 sq ft of studio space and 110,000 sq ft for production, logistics and office space.

This will enable the studios to fill current gaps in the market for TV and film production and support the rapid growth of the sector in the UK.

ON LOCATION: Pictured at the former MOD site for the new studios are, from left, executive director of Screen Scotland Isabel Davis, UK Government minister for Scotland John Lamont, Stirling Council leader Chris Kane, and council chief executive Carol Beattie.